10% quota to cover pvt educational institutions too; Lok Sabha passes Bill

The Lok Sabha passed the Bill with the requisite two-thirds of the members present and voting supporting the Bill, with 319 members voting in favour and four against

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a Constitution amendment Bill that seeks to provide 10 per cent quota in jobs and educational institutions, including private-run higher educational institutions, to economically weaker sections from the general category.

Terming the measure a “poll gimmick”, Opposition parties said it was unlikely to pass judicial scrutiny and cautioned that the government breaching the Supreme Court-mandated 50 per cent cap on quotas would open a Pandora’s Box.

After the Bill's passage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said his government’s endeavour was to ensure that every poor person, irrespective of their caste or creed, got to lead