Telangana raises quota for Muslims, scheduled tribes: All you need to know

Total quota in the state has gone up to 62% from 50%, which is the cap by Supreme Court

Taking the total quota in government jobs and educational institutions much beyond the 50 per cent limit set by the Supreme Court, the Telangana legislature on Sunday unanimously passed a bill to hike the reservation quota for backward Muslims and the scheduled tribes to 12 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively. 

Barring the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which opposed the bill both inside and outside the legislature, the entire Opposition supported the Backward Class, scheduled castes (SCs) and scheduled tribes Reservation Bill, 2017. Five BJP members of legislative assembly (MLAs) were also suspended for the day, for calling the bill "unconstitutional" as it provided for quotas based on religion. 

Here’s all you need to know about the bill:

1. The new legislation envisages raising reservation for socially and educationally backward Muslims from existing 4 per cent to 12 per cent and for scheduled tribes from 6 per cent to 10 per cent. 

2. With this, the total quota in the state has gone up to 62 per cent from 50 per cent, which is the ceiling prescribed by the Supreme Court. 

3.The reservation for SCs, who constitute 16.3 per cent of the state's population, will be increased by one per cent and the government would soon set up an SC Commission. The SCs currently enjoy 15 per cent reservations while the BCs have a total quota of 25 per cent. 

4. Telangana Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao said will be no injustice to the backward classes and quotas for them too will be increased. The state government has directed the Backward Classes Commission to submit a report within six months.

5. When BJP floor leader said 94 per cent of Muslim community in the state is covered by the new reservation which would be a historic blunder of this government, Rao asked, “Why can't Muslims be given reservations? Are they sinners? They constitute one-fifth of the population of this country....Don't they pay taxes? Are they not citizens of India?"

The chief minister said if the Centre did not include the bill in the 9th schedule of the Constitution, which will preclude a judicial review, the state government will approach the Supreme Court for a direction to the Union government. The legislation will be sent for the President’s assent.