Gujarat HC quashes 10% quota for EBCs

Court terms the move made to placate the Patidar community as 'unconstitutional'

By terming it 'unconstitutional', the Gujarat High Court on Thursday quashed the state government's notification of 10 per cent quota for economically backward classes (EBC) in educational institutions.

Three petitions had been filed challenging the Anandiben Patel-led government notification, which came in April in a bid to placate the protesting Patidar community.

The quota would have been granted to families with an annual income of less than Rs six lakh.

Petitioners had argued that the ordinance was contrary to precedents established by the Supreme Court for other backward classes on the recommendation of the Mandal Commission in 1990. Currently, Gujarat has a 49 per cent reservation for scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST) and other backward class (OBC).