Supreme Court today agreed to examine the validity of Constitutional Amendment bill that gives 10 per cent
reservation in jobs and education for economically weaker section of the general category. An apex court bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has issued notice to the Centre on pleas challenging the validity of the bill. However, apex court refused to stay implementation of 10 per cent reservation.
"We will examine the matter," CJI Ranjan Gogoi said.
A plea, challenging the Constitution (103 Amendment) Act, 2019, was been filed by businessman Tehseen Poonawalla on Monday. It has sought the quashing of the bill saying that backwardness for the purpose of reservation cannot be defined by "economic status alone".
The pleas said that the amendment violates the 9-bench
Supreme
Court's 1992 verdict in Indira Sawhney case. The case, also known as Mandal case, said it was laid down that the overall reservation cannot exceed 50 per cent.
The plea further sought a stay in implementing newly inserted Articles 15(6) and 16(6) in the Constitution of India which empowered the government to grant
quota to the poor of the general category candidates.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha cleared the Bill on January 8 and 9 respectively and it has also been signed by President Ram Nath Kovind.
(Inputs from PTI)