The Lok Sabha today passed the Constitutional Amendment Bill to grant 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker sections of the general category. The Lower House passed the Bill with huge majority, with 323 'Yes' and three 'Nos'.

The bill has now been sent to the Rajya Sabha for passage tomorrow, where the government does not have majority, before it is forwarded to the President for signing it into law.

Lok Sabha has been adjourned sine die after passing the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty- Fourth Amendment) Bill.

Minister of Social Justice Thawar Chand Gehlot, who tabled the bill in the Lok Sabha, said that this is a historic day, and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken historic decisions across his tenure.

"Lakhs and crores of poor from the general category, from every religion, will get the benefit of this. In all, this is beneficial for all," he said.

The Congress said it would prefer a parliamentary committee to look into the matter.

Earlier today, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said that the quota bill, which seeks to provide 10 per cent reservation for the upper castes, will ensure 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'.

Taking a jibe at the Congress, Arun Jaitley said, "Most political parties had put a 'jumla' in their manifestos that unreserved categories get quota. But they didn't make an effort."

The government has made it clear that that existing quotas will not disturb the quota for economically backward in upper castes.

In a surprise announcement on Monday, the Union Cabinet had declared 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker upper castes.

Edited by Chitranjan Kumar