SC refuses to stay decision to give 10 pct EWS quota among upper castes

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the decision to give 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections among upper castes and clubbed all petitions including by Tahssen Poonawala for early hearing. A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi refused to stay the government's decision to grant 10 per cent reservation to economically poor in the general category as a PIL by Poonawala contended that such a reservation was contrary to several pronouncements by the court.

Appearing for Poonawala, senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan said there was a cap of 50 per cent in the top court's ruling in the Mandal Commission case that came in the wake of OBC reservation by the then V.P. Singh government. Earlier, the top court on a petition by NGO Youth for Equality had sought response from the Centre and the states.

(With inputs from agencies.)