10% Reservation For Economically Weak Cleared By President, Becomes Law

Ten per cent of government jobs and college seats will now be reserved for people outside high income brackets as President Ram Nath Kovind cleared a landmark bill passed by parliament this week.

The bill was introduced by the government amid criticism by the opposition which said the move was a pre-election gimmick amid high unemployment.

However, with elections just months away, no major political party dared to oppose the bill directly.

Joblessness in India shot up to a 15-month high last month, data from an independent think-tank showed, underlining the challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bid to retain power in a vote due by May.

President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday gave his assent to the bill providing 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to the economically weaker sections in the general category, a notification in the official gazette said. The Constitution (124 Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and the Rajya Sabha a day later.