Kerala Congress welcomes order, IUML says verdict 'worrisome'

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress in Kerala on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict on upholding the amendment providing 10 per cent reservation to people belonging to the economically weaker sections (EWS) while its United Democratic Front (UDF) ally, IUML, said the order was worrisome.

The Supreme Court by a majority view of 3:2 on Monday upheld the validity of the 103rd Constitution amendment providing 10 per cent reservation to people belonging to the EWS category in admissions and government jobs.

"The Congress has been asking for this for a long time. We have always voiced for the reservation for the economically weaker sections in the community but this should not affect the reservation quota of other sections," state Congress chief K Sudhakaran told the reporters.

Meanwhile, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader P K Kunhalikutty said the backwardness caused due to caste was the result of centuries-old discrimination. "The order is worrisome and will take away the opportunity of the other sections. The caste-based backwardness is something which was caused through centuries. It will not come to an end within half-a-century," Kunhalikutty said.

The Nair Service Society (NSS), an organisation for the Hindu forward Nair community, welcomed the decision and said with the order, its stand has been vindicated. "We welcome the supreme court ruling on EWS quota reservation which vindicates the stand of the NSS. Our stand is that everyone should be entitled to reservation based on their economic condition. It is important to end the caste-based reservation. The caste-based reservation benefits only for those who are rich," NSS General Secretary G Sukumaran Nair said in a statement.

The court said the quota does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution. A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice U U Lalit pronounced four separate verdicts on 40 petitions challenging the validity of the 103rd Constitution amendment promulgated by the Centre in 2019. The Centre, through the 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019, introduced the provision for EWS reservation in admissions and public services.

Earlier, the Centre in 2019 had also told the apex court that its law, granting a 10 per cent quota for EWS, was brought in to promote "social equality" by providing "equal opportunities in higher education and employment to those who have been excluded by virtue of their economic status".

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha cleared the Bill on January 8 and 9 in 2019, respectively, and it was then signed by then President Ram Nath Kovind. The EWS quota is over and above the existing 50 per cent reservation to SCs, STs, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).