EWS Quota Case Hearing Day 5 - Live Updates From Supreme Court

AG: Now, the question is why was 10% given? It is not 10%, it is up to 10% and it is left up to the States to decide upon the percentage. Flexibility is given. And as and when the economic conditions are improved, 10% is flexible.

AG: "This commission also recommends setting up state commissions for economically backward classes...For taking care of 1 crore families..."

CJI: Families are only 1 crore as per them.

AG: That doesn't matter because individuals are BPL.

Bench takes a short break.

AG: "35% of GCs were landless... economically backward classes within GCs should be undertaken."

AG continues reading Sinho Commission's recommendations.

AG: "BPL should be the basis of identifying basic criteria for economically backward classes...In West bengal GC BPL was 23.3% against the total of 25% BPL...average status of BPL in economically backward classes was as backward as BPL in other backward classes, esp OBC.

AG: "This commission considered GCs to include people of India belonging to different castes, ethnicities, communities etc...The commission gathered that in backward classes, economically backward classes should be a consideration..."

AG refers to recommendations of the the Sinho Commission Report.

AG: It's not restricted to SCs and STs but to the weaker sections of the society. Article 38 states that state should promote welfare of people. 

AG: Ensuring dignity is a constitutional mandate. What dignity? They're living in slums, jobless, in cottages, suffering. Thus, my submission is that this doesn't shake any foundation of the constitution but it implements all that constitution states.

AG: Constitution has to secure all it's citizens justice- social, economic and political, equality of status and opportunity. This is to ensure that no single individual in the country goes hungry.