For how many generations reservations will continue, says Supreme Court

The bench said 70 years have passed since independence and the states have been carrying on so many beneficial schemes and “can we accept that no development has taken place, that no backward caste has moved forward”.

For how many generations would reservations in jobs and education continue, the Supreme Court sought to know during the Maratha quota case hearing on Friday and raised concerns over “resultant inequality” in case the overall 50 per cent limit was to be removed. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan was vehemently told by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Maharashtra, that the Mandal judgment on capping the quota needed a re-look in changed circumstances. He said the courts should leave it to states to fix reservation quotas in view of the changed circumstances and the Mandal judgment was premised on census of 1931.