Supreme Court upholds validity of 103rd Amendment providing EWS reservation
November 2022
The Supreme Court's validation of the 103rd Amendment providing 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections connects to the 42nd Amendment's expansion of social justice provisions. Just as the 42nd Amendment added Article 39A for equal justice and free legal aid, the EWS reservation represents the continuing evolution of constitutional provisions for social equity. The Court's approach in testing the 103rd Amendment against the basic structure doctrine directly stems from the precedent set in challenging the 42nd Amendment's provisions in Minerva Mills case. The debate over whether economic criteria alone can justify reservation echoes the 42nd Amendment's emphasis on socialist principles and economic equality.
UPSC Angle: Questions may link the constitutional philosophy of social justice in 42nd Amendment with contemporary reservation policies, testing understanding of constitutional evolution and basic structure doctrine application.