Explained: Why economically weaker section could become a taxing issue

The Centre's three-member committee has recommended incorporating tax database to determine the income status of beneficiaries

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to continue with the government order on who will qualify as “economically weaker section” (EWS) for reservation in public education and government jobs. The interim order will be revisited by the court in March when it will examine an interesting proposition from the government: The possible use of income tax records to settle a question of social justice in India.

The proposal has been put up in the report of the three-member committee that was formed by the Centre to revisit the EWS definition. The court has not gone into those issues, though the