Petition in high court challenging 5% quota to Gujjars, 4 other castes

JAIPUR: A petition challenging 5% reservation to Gujjars and four other castes through Rajasthan Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutes in the State and of Appointments and Posts in Services under the State) Amendment Bill, 2019 introduced by the state government was filed at the Jaipur bench of the Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday.

The petitioner alleged that the reservation beyond the ordinary upper limit of 50% is unconstitutional and was already been denied by the Rajasthan High Court when Gujjars were limited to a reservation of 1%.

The petition filed by Arvind Sharma and Badal Verma through their lawyer Abhinav Sharma alleged that state government has stated that reservation is under the need for upliftment while the actual compelling circumstances were the reservation agitation that has eventually taken entire state to ransom.

The petition also alleged that the reservation was granted based on the proportionality of population of Gujjars and four other communities and not on the quantifiable data of backwardness in education and public employment. Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla asking reservation beyond 50% reservation limit and Himmat Singh, another Gujjar leader asking reservation below 50% were also been made party in the petition.

The Rajasthan government on February 13 had passed a bill giving a five per cent quota in government jobs and educational institutes to Gujjars and four other communities agitating for it. The Congress government introduced the bill amid protests in the state led by Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla for reservation for the community.