K'taka, Andhra, Odisha crossed quota limit first: Rathore

The Rajasthan government today cited examples of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha to defend its move to accord quota to Gujjars and other communities thus crossing the 50 per cent cap on reservations directed by the Supreme Court.
"Of course the quota limit has been crossed, but other states like Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha had done it earlier," state Parliamentary Affairs Minister R S Rathore told a press conference after the House adjourned sine die.
Earlier in the day, the Rajasthan Assembly passed separate bills providing five per cent reservation to Gujjars and other communities under Special Backward Classes (SBC) and for 14 per cent quota to Economically Backward Classes (EBC) of unreserved categories.

The state's current quota break-up adds up to 50 per cent. The reformed quota pie would be 19 per cent higher than the 50 per cent cap on reservations directed by the Supreme Court.
"What the BJP government had promised to Gujjars and other communities has been fulfilled," Rathore said.
He said the Rajasthan government would now seek Governor Kalyan Singh's nod for the two quota bills passed by the House today and issue a notification soon.

"The state government would ensure that the two bills on quota for Special Backward Classes covering five communities including Gurjar, and for Economically Backward Classes (EBC) be implemented after the Governor's nod and a gazette notification," the Minister said.

The Assembly has already adopted a resolution to send the bills to the Centre, requesting it to include them in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, Rathore said.
If there was any mistake or syntax error left in the bills which were cleared by the assembly today, corrections would be moved through an ordinance, he said, adding it would not be a very difficult task.