- President Ram Nath Kovind on January 12, 2019 has given his assent to a bill providing 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker sections of the General Categories of all religions.
- With the President’s nod, the bill has now become a law that will provide 10 per cent reservation in education and government jobs.
- According to a gazette notification, the legislation will be known as the Constitution (103rd Amendment) Act, 2019.
- The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed by the Parliament during the winter session.
- The 124th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2019 to award 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker sections was passed with majority in Rajya Sabha on January 9, 2019 and Lok Sabha on January 8.
Amendments
- The 103rd Constitutional Amendment act has amended the Article 15 and Article 16 of Indian Constitution.
- In article 15 of the Constitution, after clause (5), the following clause has been inserted, namely:— ‘(6) Nothing in this article or sub-clause (g) of clause (1) of article 19 or clause (2)
of article 29 shall prevent the State from making:
(a) any special provision for the advancement of any economically weaker
sections of citizens other than the classes mentioned in clauses (4) and (5); and
(b) any special provision for the advancement of any economically weaker
sections of citizens other than the classes mentioned in clauses (4) and (5) in so far as such special provisions relate to their admission to educational institutions
including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the
State, other than the minority educational institutions referred to in clause (1) of
article 30, which in the case of reservation would be in addition to the existing
reservations and subject to a maximum of ten per cent. of the total seats in each
category - In article 16 of the Constitution, after clause (5), the following clause has been
inserted, namely:—
“(6) Nothing in this article shall prevent the State from making any provision
for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of any economically weaker
sections of citizens other than the classes mentioned in clause (4), in addition to the
existing reservation and subject to a maximum of ten per cent. of the posts in each
category
