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Updates: Lok Sabha clears reservation bill with 323 ayes

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The Modi government introduced a Constitution amendment bill in Lok Sabha to provide for 10% reservation in jobs to economically weaker sections among general category citizens. Here are the live updates.

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government Monday announced 10 per cent reservation in jobs for economically weaker sections among the general category citizens. The government introduced the bill in Parliament today, the last day of the ongoing Winter session.

The bill will require a two-thirds support in both houses of Parliament as well that of one half of the state legislatures. Considering the bill is passed in both Houses of the Parliament, the bill will be sent to the state legislatures where they should be passed by at least one-half of the state legislatures by a two-thirds majority.

ThePrint brings you the live updates from Lok Sabha:

10:02pm: Speaker Mahajan begins summarising the winter session; marks the end of the session.

10:01pm: Ruling BJP party MPs cheer.

10:00pm: After amendment, reservation bill passes by 323 votes with only 3 nayes.

9:56pm: Clause 2 of the bill passed by the House after 316 MPs vote aye and 5 vote no.

9:53pm: House votes 319 ayes and 4 nays to clear the reservation bill. Speaker now takes up clause-by-clause consideration.

9:52pm: Speaker Mahajan reads out the question. MPs vote.

9:50pm: Aisles of the House are cleared for voting. Snehlata Shrivastava, secretary general of the Lok Sabha, reads out the procedure for voting.

9:46pm: MPs wait to vote on the Constitutional amendment bill to give 10% reservation to the economically weaker under general category.

9:44pm: Speaker Sumitra Mahajan prepares the House for a vote.

9:42pm: Thambi Durai speaks again asking for govt clarification.

9:30pm: Union minister Thawarchand Gehlot says the govt will consider the concerns raised in the House. But asks for support for the bill to be passed.

9:28pm: Prime minister Narendra Modi arrives at Parliament. Joins Lok Sabha session.

9:20pm: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor questions why there was no notice before the bill was introduced in Lok Sabha. “Why was no written notice given to the Speaker before the bringing up the bill in Lok Sabha? Can the govt now bring up a bill any time it wants it?” he asks the House.

9:14pm: BJP’s Hukmdev Narayan Yadav thanks Modi for bringing this reservation.

9:12pm: Rajesh Ranjan of the RJD demands that reservation should be ended.

9:10pm: Prem Das Rai of the Second Democratic Front says his party supports the bill.

“In view of the discussion, he adds Sikkim can become a fully tribal state as was the case in 1975 and before,” he adds.

9:03pm: “There is no emperical evidence to back the govt’s claim. The bill is a fraud on the Constitution and an insult to social justice,” says Owaisi.

9:00pm: Asaduddin Owaisi begins his speech by saying he opposes the bill.

8:57pm: Opposition begins yelling that his time is up.

8:55pm: Ramdas Athwale of the Republican Party of India begins reading out a poem, sparks some laughter in the House. He praises Modi and takes a few jabs at the Congress party and its president Rahul Gandhi.

8:53pm: Dushyant Chautala of the INLD points that the govt has brought forward the bill after being in power for four and a half years. But the Supreme Court will strike down this bill in six months. Can the govt guarantee that the reservation bill will be a reality?

8:52pm: “The question is where are the jobs? Will the govt consider giving reservation in the private sector too?” says Patel.

8:50pm: “We have a long history of reservation. But, our reservation system does not equally benefit those who need it,” Patel says.

8:49pm: Apna Dal MP Anupriya Patel begins speaking. “To answer the question of why the bill was brought on the last day, I say this — all is well that ends well,” she says.

8:46pm: The real poor should be benefited when we pass a legislation, Premachandran says as he concludes.

8:44pm: Why isn’t the House being taken into confidence about this historic bill? We all support this bill (anyway). We raise an objection to the procedure of how this bill was brought up, says Premachandran.

8:41pm: N.K. Premachandran of the RSP says the intention behind the bill is good, but the timing is political. “Not bonafide,” he says.

8:39pm: This reservation bill is opening a flood gate of trouble, the govt should withdraw it, says Basheer as he concludes.

8:37pm: Basheer adds that upper castes also have problems and nobody is saying no to solving their issues. But the point of reservation is to bridge the gap between lower and upper caste.

8:36pm: E.T. Mohammed Basheer of the IUML says commissions have categorically stated that reservation should not be based on economic criteria.

8:30pm: It takes courage to take this decision, and our PM has shown that, says Chauhan.

8:28pm: BJP’s Nand Kumar Singh Chauhan says only one who has experience poverty can understand the pain of the poor. Our Prime Minister is someone who has experienced poverty and understand the pain of our people, he adds.

8:25pm: This last-minute action on your (Modi govt) part shows your commitment, this should not turn out to be a jhumla, says Hooda.

8:15pm: Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda attacks the government for bringing the bill at the 11th hour. Says it raises questions.

8:12pm: RLSP echoes RJD’s stand with former minister Kushwaha saying that reservation should be given in proportion with the population of different castes and communities.

8:10pm: Upendra Kushwaha of the RLSP attempts to speak amid chaos in the House. Kushwaha says reservation will not bring social justice.

8:07pm: The govt is planning to slowly end the SC/ST Act, says Mann. Attacks the ruling party as Bharatiya ‘Jhumla’ Party.

8:06pm: Aam Aadmi Party’s Bhagwant Mann begins speaking; calls the bill an election stunt. Causes a ruckus in the House.

8:04pm: We support Modi govt’s move to end the poison of caste, and ask other parties to support the reservation bill.

8:03pm: “There are only two kinds of jaath (caste) — the rich and the poor,” says Dubey.

8pm: Dubey says Modi govt’s ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’ (development for all) directive has addressed many of the issues raised by MPs of opposition parties.

7:57pm: Nishikant Dubey gets up to address the House.

7:56pm: As Ram Vilas Paswan gets up to defend the govt, Speaker Mahajan asks him why he must respond to every MP.

7:55pm: RJD’s Yadav demands a caste census and says, “Give us (non-upper castes) 85 per cent and take 10-15 per cent.”

7:54pm: Yadav says ahead of the election, the govt is spreading a net like a hunter. Everyone should get the same benefits.

7:52pm: Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav of the RJD addresses the House next.

7:49pm: There were people who would see those next to them enjoy benefits they didn’t have access to. This would have been caused some heartburn. But now, Modi govt’s move will give every person from poorer backgrounds equal access, says Pandey.

7:45pm: Mahendra Nath Pandey, a BJP Lok Sabha MP, says are happy the reservation bill will benefit people from across castes.

7:40pm: Samajwadi Party MP, Dharmendra Yadav, attacks the NDA government for atrocities and discrimination against SCs/STs/OBCs.

7:38pm: Samajwadi Party supports the bill while raking up caste census issue.

7:32pm: Sule says they welcome the fact that those who are getting the benefit of quotas won’t be disturbed.

7:28pm: Paswan clarifies his comments as Sule yields the floor.

7:28pm: I was surprised to hear a Cabinet minister say that I hope the bill doesn’t get caught in the law, says Sule referring to Paswan. Paswan objects that that was not his comment.

7:26pm: Supriya Sule of the Nationalist Congress Party asks why the govt felt the need to bring the bill only on the last day.

7:15pm: Mahtab also raises the point that economic conditions of people change constantly, and the bill doesn’t clearly address this problem. “I would like the minister to explain this, how will you (the govt) determine if someone gets the (reservation) benefit,” says Mahtab. He concludes by reiterating that the BJD supports the bill.

7:14pm: For the first time, reservation is being provided based on economic criteria instead of caste by an affirmative govt, says Mahtab.

7:13pm: In 1980, the Congress in its manifesto had talked of implementing such a reservation. But the party then lost track of this commitment, says Mahtab.

7:10pm: Sumitra Mahajan resumes her position in the Speaker’s chair.

7:09pm: K.H. Muniyappa, who is in the Speaker’s chair, asks Mahtab to conclude soon. Mahtab responds that he has yet to come to his points on the bill. An MP can be heard saying, “(but) he speaks well,” in the background.

7:05pm: “The manner in which the bill has been listed today should not be the practice. Something is being done for posterity,” says Mahtab.

7:00pm: Bhartruhari Mahtab, a Biju Janata Dal MP in Lok Sabha, begins speaking.

6:59pm: As he concludes his speech, Paswan says Modi will come back to power at the Centre for another term.

6:58pm: Paswan makes three demands while supporting the bill for 10% reservation for economically weaker sections: put it in the Ninth Schedule so that it couldn’t be challenged in the court; provide for reservation in the private sector; and, reservation in the Indian judicial service.

6:54pm: If poor get reservation, and it doesn’t eat in to the Dalit or OBC share, then why should it be a problem, asks Paswan.

6:48pm: In this country, ants are fed sugar but humans are hated, Paswan says in the context of Dalits.

6:43pm: Paswan says his party and BJP ally, the Lok Janshakti Party, support the bill.

6:41pm: Consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan begins speaking after Reddy.

6:34pm: “Our party TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samithi) highly welcomes every move to make the society inclusive and stronger. Therefore, we welcome this move of the government,” says Reddy.

6:31pm: Jithender Reddy says his party supports the reservation bill.

6:29pm: Adsul finishes his speech. Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP Jithender Reddy is the next MP to speak.

6:27pm: MP in the background asks for the MP to “please conclude”.

6:25pm: BJP ally Shiv Sena slams demonetisation. “Because of demonetisation, many small industries shut down and people working there were rendered jobless,” says Anandrao Adsul of Shiv Sena.

6:26pm: There are some backward groups in Maharashtra who are not covered under reservation; we want them to be included under the SC/ST category.

6:20pm: Adsul says the Sena supports the bill.

6:18pm: Anandroa Adsul of the Shiv Sena begins speaking.

6:17pm: It appears nobody will oppose the bill as such, but this bill appears to be a political message. It isn’t only about jobs, it is about misleading the youth with false hopes, says Bandyopadhyay as he concludes his speech.

6:13pm: Is the bill meant to influence the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, questions Bandyopadhyay.

6:08pm: TMC’s Sudip Bandyopadhyay begins speaking. “No one will oppose it but the fact that this type of bill is being produced 100 days before the government’s tenure one can’t help but wonder if it is an election gimmick,” he says.

6:08pm: AIADMK’s opposition to the economic criteria for reservation underlines the discomfort of political parties which have a vote base primarily among backward classes and Dalits.

6:07pm: Economic criteria keeps changing, for an economically poor man this year could do better next year. Does that mean you’ll take back his job? Base your criteria on caste instead, says Durai as he ends his speech.

6:04pm: Caste cannot be avoided in our country, and until caste (system) goes, there won’t be justice. So include all castes, says Durai.

6:02pm: Speaker extends time of Lok Sabha session.

6:01pm: This law that you are making will definitely be struck down by the Supreme Court, says Thambi Durai.

6:00pm: Despite reservation, we (lower caste) haven’t achieved equality, says AIADMK’s Thambi Durai.

5:59pm: There are so many government schemes to uplift the economically weaker sections. Therefore, this economic criteria in reservations is not needed, says AIADMK’s M Thambi Durai.

5:58pm: If you (govt) fail in implementing your programmes (schemes), only then do you need reservation, says Durai.

5:55pm: AIADMK MP Thambi Durai begins speaking. Jokes about being the lone man from his party. His fellow party MPs were suspended by the Speaker for disrupting the House proceedings earlier in the week.

5:53pm: It’s not just the BJP and NDA, but all other parties have mentioned reservation in their manifesto, says Jaitley as he ends his speech.

5:52pm: Arun Jaitley quotes the Congress 2014 manifesto, says almost all the parties pledged the same thing in their documents. “Should we just limit this to promises? I request the Congress to support what it promised in its manifesto,” he says.

5:49pm: “If you are supporting this, don’t be grudging. Be large-hearted,” Jaitley tells the opposition.

5:45pm: Many have pointed out that if this reservation of 10% is introduced it would impact the cap of 50% by the SC. Many Congress leaders have also tweeted this. I can say clearly that this cap was in relation to caste based reservation whether in educational institutions or public employment

5:42pm: First reservation was for SC/ST and no questions were raised against it, points out finance minister Arun Jaitley in Lok Sabha.

5:37pm: “Just as equals can’t be treated unequally, unequals can’t be treated equally,” says Jaitley.

5:34pm: Responding to Thomas’ issue over aided and unaided institutions, Arun Jaitley says the phraseology for caste-based reservations is the same as the one for economically-backward sections.

5:33pm: Union finance minister Arun Jaitley begins speaking.

5:31pm: Thomas says the Congress supports the concept of the quota bill, but the way it is being brought raises questions on the government’s sincerity. “My request is to send this to JPC (joint parliamentary committee) first,” he says as he concludes his argument.

5:30pm: Anyone who is getting Rs 63,000 per month (Rs 8 lakh per annum), they are eligible. How can that be? People who are affluent have been brought under the net of this policy.

5:26pm: If you are not providing reservation to the existing 50% in unaided institutions currently, how can you provide it in this bill, questions Thomas.

5:25pm: Thomas raises the aided versus unaided institutions question. Says the move has been in haste.

5:23pm: Congress MP K.V. Thomas begins speaking. Says the government can pass amendment bill as it has the majority in the Lok Sabha, but  there won’t be a fruitful discussion if the legislation is passed in a hurry.

5:22pm: The benefits of this move will reach a wide section of people, Gehlot says as he ends his speech.

5:20pm: Gehlot adds that even the top court will not accept pleas of those who will approach it to contest the new reservation policy.

5:18pm: Brahmin, Thakur, Baniya, Patel, Jaat, Muslims, Christians and all others from other religions who are out of the current reservation policy will benefit from this, says Gehlot.

5:14pm: State governments will determine who falls in the economically backward category, says Union minister Thawarchand Gehlot.

5:13pm: There will be no change in the existing reservation policy that is in place, says Gehlot.

5:10pm: Gehlot says PM Narendra Modi has talked about ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas‘ (development for everyone), and adds the government has delivered what it has promised.

5:05pm: Union minister for social justice and empowerment Thawarchand Gehlot begins elaborating on his motion to move the Constitution amendment Bill.

According to the Bill, “At present, the economically weaker sections of citizens have largely remained excluded from attending the higher educational institutions and public employment on account of their financial incapacity to compete with the persons who are economically more privileged.”

The Bill seeks to amend Article 15 of the Constitution, by adding a clause which allows states to make “special provision for the advancement of any economically weaker sections of citizens”.


Also read: BJP’s 10 per cent reservation for upper castes is votebank politics, but will face legal issues


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