Reservation for Economically Weaker Sections

The base of Reservation has been broadened to include economically weaker sections also. It is open to the government to notify the income of the family from time to time for the purpose of obtaining benefit thereunder. At least the Act through which the Constitution has been amended says so. The Constitution (One Hundred and Third Amendment) Act, 2019 came into existence on a day which is observed in our country as National Youth Day i.e 12th January. The breakneck speed with which the Bill became an Act tells many things without actually telling about the conscience and compulsion in the politics of this country.
Prior to the said amendment the citizens outside the fold of socially and educationally backward classes, Schedule Castes/Tribes were not eligible to be considered for reservations howsoever and whatsoever economically weak or deprived they may be. This was so because they belonged to such Castes as thought to be Upper ones in the social hierarchy believed by tradition. Of course, they could compete for admission or jobs in government services for the 50 percent seats left after filling of seats through reservation for the SC/ST and OBCs.
The amended provisions noway affect the existing 50 percent quota already kept reserved for the SC/St and OBCs. Rather, it has been kept protected and repeatedly explained as such by the ruling dispensation perhaps for the fear of it being misconstrued given the sensitivity of the matter. Needless to say that it has been perceived  to make or mar the poll prospects a few months ahead. Elections round the corner, Stakes high, expectations full, risk is zilch(10% is over and above the existing 50%) so why not do it right now!
For effecting certain positive feeling to say the least or for effecting reservation to say the most(this is to be decided by the readers)a new section referred to as economically weaker sections was created within this Upper Castes for the purpose of reserving 10 percent of seats among them out of that unreserved 50 percent.
We shall see in the future how this legislative intervention stands to benefit those for whom it is intended as also the mileage this government seeks to obtain politically from this step which out of excitement has been variously called masterstroke by many in the government. Some say, not without an element of truth, that the benefit is more specious than spacious. Yet some others believe that it will be prove to be a great leap forward in the fulfillment of State's responsibilities towards Economic Justice as enshrined in the Preamble. Their contention is that hitherto State's policies happened to be skewed in favour of Social Justice only.  State's concern for Economic Justice is for namesake; they feel. They hold that just as Reservation is a powerful tool of ensuring Social Justice, likewise Economic Justice be also ensured by the same tool of Reservation.
Be that as it may, one thing is clear that the current move of the government is definitely a masterstroke as it has driven out of space the issue of reservation being manipulated any further for political benefits. Depotentialization of Reservation is an important achievement of the ruling dispensation. With this amendment political benefits of the issue has reached the yield point. Any further enhancement in quota is defacto defeating the very concept of Reservation and so playing with the issue will no more serve as a viable option of politics across all the political parties. And any move towards elimination or rationalizations of the quota is now just Out of the Question; the grudging support of the Bill by the opposition in both the Houses reaffirms this.
R.R.Prabhakar
13.01.2019