Govt will decide on 50% quota cap, says minister

AS the Congress upped ante over its demand for removing the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs, Union Minister of state for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Friday said that the decision lies with the Central government and it will take a call on the issue.

- PREETHA NAIR @New Delhi

Speaking to this newspaper, Athawale said that the Supreme Court has set a 50 per cent limit on reservations in jobs and education through various rulings. "There is a guideline of the Supreme Court not to exceed 50 percent reservation. Currently Tamil Nadu has a reservation policy of 69 percent reservation placed under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution in 1994. The government will take a call on removing the 50 percent cap," he said.