The Centre on Tuesday introduced in the Lok Sabha a bill to allow 10% reservation for the economically weak among the upper castes in jobs and education, ANI reported. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2019, was tabled by Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot.

The Union Cabinet on Monday had approved amendments to allow 10% quota reservation for the economically weak sections in the general category castes in jobs and education. The Bill will propose to amend Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution.

Article 15 of the Constitution allows the state to make special provisions only for the “socially and educationally backward classes or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes”. Article 16 allows the state to make such provisions for backward classes in public employment to improve representation.

The 10% quota for the general category will exceed the 50% cap placed by the Supreme Court on reservations.

If the bill is passed, the Article 15 will include a clause that will allow states to make “special provision for the advancement of any economically weaker sections of citizens”, PTI reported. These 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”.

“The directive principles of state policy contained in Article 46 of the Constitution enjoins that the state shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and, in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation,” the bill says.

Earlier in the day, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati called the government’s move an “election stunt and political gimmick” ahead of Lok Sabha polls but welcomed the “immature” move, PTI reported.

“It would have been better had the BJP taken the decision much earlier...,” Mayawati added. “The government is now on its way out.”

The BSP chief said her party had always been for reservation for economically weak Muslims and other minority communities. “The party had written a letter in this regard to the government but Centre took a narrow and communal stand and provided the benefit to only a particular section [upper caste], which is injustice for other sections,” she said.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah claimed that the election defeats in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh had forced the saffron party to take this decision. “They actually do not intend to give reservation; if it does not get passed in Parliament they will say, ‘we tried but Parliament did not pass it’,” Abdullah said.

Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav also welcomed the government’s move and said the Other Backward Classes should be provided reservation according to their population.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha President Hemant Soren said backward classes should be given 27% reservation, ANI reported. “We also demand that reservation be raised form 26% to 28% for the tribal communities and 5% to the minority community of Jharkhand,” he added.

The Janata Dal (Secular) expressed support for the bill. “We have always stood for, and will continue to stand for betterment of the underprivileged and weaker sections of the society,” party MP and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda said.

The party has two members in the Lok Sabha.