A day after Lok Sabha passed a landmark bill to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and education for the general category poor, the government will table the bill in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday as the Constitution (103rd Amendment) Bill. With most parties backing the proposed legislation, the government has described the bill as "historic" and in the country's interest.
The opposition, including the Congress, dubbed the proposed law as a political gimmick that may not stand judicial scrutiny but came around to support it during voting, underlining the huge political import of the measure aimed at placating upper castes.
As many as 323 members voted in support of the bill, which seeks to amend Article 15 and 16 of the Constitution to enable reservation for the "economically weaker" sections in the general category, which had so far been kept out of the quota ambit. Three members voted against the bill.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were present in the Lower House when the bill was passed.
Replying to an over four and half hour debate, Social Justice Minister Thaavarchand Gehlot sought to allay doubts raised by several opposition members about the legislation's fate if challenged in the Supreme Court, saying he can say with confidence that the apex court will accept it.