Under Article 16, the State can not reserve posts fora)Backward classe...
In Indra Sawhney the nine-judge bench observed that under Article 16(1), appointments and/or posts can be reserved in favour of a class. Thus, reservation in state services in favour of backward classes may be made under Article 16(1) too, as it is based on the premise of equality
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Under Article 16, the State can not reserve posts fora)Backward classe...
Explanation:
Article 16 of the Indian Constitution deals with equality of opportunity in matters of public employment. It prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, and residence in the matter of appointments to public services.
Under Article 16, the State can reserve posts for socially and economically backward classes of citizens. The following points explain this in detail:
Socially and Economically Backward Classes:
- The Constitution does not define socially and economically backward classes.
- The term is left to the discretion of the State to identify and define.
- The State can use various criteria to identify socially and economically backward classes, such as income, education, occupation, etc.
Reservation of Posts:
- The State can reserve posts in government services for socially and economically backward classes of citizens.
- The reservation should not exceed 50% of the total number of posts.
- The reservation can be made in both direct recruitment and promotion.
Other Provisions:
- The State can make provisions for the reservation of posts in favour of SCs/STs and other backward classes (OBCs).
- The State can also make provisions for the reservation of seats in educational institutions for socially and economically backward classes of citizens.
Conclusion:
Thus, under Article 16, the State can reserve posts for socially and economically backward classes of citizens. The purpose of such reservation is to ensure that opportunities for public employment are available to all sections of society and not just a few privileged ones.