The politics of quota: All parties welcome verdict

EVERYBODY'S VOTEBANK: The ruling comes at a time when six Assembly elections are yet to be held this year.

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Keywords: Verdict, Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a law which provides for 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Castes (OBCs) in educational institutions supported by the Central government.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan ruled that the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006, does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution. However, the Bench said that if the creamy layer is not excluded then the reservation benefits would not percolate to the needy.

The ruling comes at a time when six Assembly elections are yet to be held this year and also comes just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2009. Wary of saying nothing to alienate potential voters, political parties across the board have welcomed it, with a few exceptions who wanted more.

The question of quota's may have split opinion down the middle, but it's the one issue that has been given an all round thumps up from political parties — ruling or Opposition.

BJP leader, Ravishankar Prasad says, "The BJP welcomes the judgement of the Supreme Court."

Congress spokesperson, Abhishek Manu Singhvi adds, "It's a landmark judgement, which upholds a most laudable initiative of the Congress and the UPA Government."

This is not surprising, given that OBCs comprise an estimated 52 per cent of the population and are scattered all across the country. The Emergency period saw OBCS gain political clout and social mobility and even today, a majority of the social justice and regional parties are dominated by the OBCs.

RJD leader and Union Railway Minister, Lalu Prasad says, "This is good news because it is not as if there is lack of talent in the backward classes."

Union Health Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss adds, "It is a victory for social justice and has come 60 long years after independence."

Interestingly, even Dalit leaders who represent the rock bottom of the social hierarchy are not grudging the OBCs their good fortune.

LJP leader, Ram Vilas Paswan says, "Our party wanted the creamy layer also to be included in the quota verdict."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP supremo, Mayawati adds, "With the rising prices and inflation, the Centre needs to redefine the term creamy layer."

However, quotas are only the means to an end. Political parties will not have to wait very long to weigh the benefits of this move as elections are due in several states and the countdown to the Lok Sabha polls have also begun.