Gujarat quota can exceed 50% only in exceptional circumstances: Expert

The reservation limit in Gujarat can exceed 50 percent only if the government can show that exceptional circumstances exist, constitutional expert Suraj Singh said on Wednesday.

In reference to Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel's statement that a reservation above 50 percent can be given in Gujarat, Singh told ANI, "Supreme Court has said that reservation in normal circumstances will be 50 percent, and normally government will not exceed it, but in exceptional case, if you have quantifiable data, then it can exceed 50 percent."

The Constitutional expert questioned what the exceptional circumstances in Gujarat were, and added, "If the government by an independent commission can show that exceptional circumstances exist, then it can exceed 50 percent reservation, but normally it will not."

Earlier in the day, Patel said in a press briefing that the Congress Party has agreed to give Patidars reservations under section 31, and provisions of section 46, and claimed that reservation above 50 percent can be given in Gujarat since at least nine states have already given reservation to deserving categories above 50 percent.