Quota for economically weaker among higher castes: Gujarat govt moves Supreme Court

Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government on Tuesday moved the Supreme Court against the state High Court verdict nullifying its order to provide for 10 percent quota to the economically weaker sections among the higher castes.

The Gujarat High Court had earlier this month, while hearing a public interest litigation challenging the May 1 state government decision to provide quota for non-reserved categories on economic grounds, had argued that it violated the spirit of the Constitution.

The government had argued that it had provided for the quota on economic basis without disturbing the 50 percent reservation cap imposed by the Supreme Court.

The government had declared the 10 percent quota for the economically weaker sections among higher castes with an annual income of Rs 6 lakh.

This followed the 10-month agitation by the Patidar community demanding reservations in jobs under the OBC category.

(With IANS inputs)