General category reservation Live Updates: Cabinet announces 10% reservation for economically weaker upper castes

General category reservation Live Updates: Cabinet announces 10% reservation for economically weaker upper castes

The timing of the this announcement before the 2019 General Elections could play a big role in favour of the Narendra Modi government.

In a surprise announcement, the Union Cabinet on Monday declared 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker upper castes. The timing of the announcement before the 2019 General Elections could play a big role in favour of the Narendra Modi government.

Experts say the NDA government has played its biggest electoral card since its formation in 2014. Upper class castes have also hailed the decision, which was a long-pending demand.

The government will move a constitutional amendment bill tomorrow to push for 10% extra reservation for economically deprived sections among general categories. The BJP's parent organisation the RSS has always maintained that reservation should be along economic lines and not only along caste lines. Follow BusinessToday.In's live blog on the 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker section.

3.02pm: Reservation approved in govt jobs and education.

2.52pm: Union minister and BJP ally Ramdas Athawale said, "The government has taken a very good decision, which would help large section of society, who are economically backward among different upper caste."

2.48pm: "This is a joke with people. They know there can't be more than 50 per cent reservation, so they we want to bring it so that they can say look we want to bring the bill but the court is not allowing us. This is only to start the blame game. The question is either we should have criteria on the basis of caste or it should be on the economic bases," Rajya Sabha member KTS  Tulsi told the news channel.

2.41pm: Amiben Yagnik, Congress Leader, told India Today TV: "The announcement is coming just before the Lok Sabha Elections, so we will have to look into how this has been done. This government is not serious about the people's issue. If it was the case, this government would have done something on the Women Reservation Bill."

2.38pm: MP Sawant of Shiv Sena told India Today TV: "Bala Saheb used to any don't give reservation on the basis of caste but on the basis on economic conditions. But it remains to be seen how they will implement it?"

2.35pm: 10 per cent reservation approved by Union Cabinet for upper castes.

2.32pm: Govt to amend the Article 15 of the Constitution to provide reservation for the upper castes.