Following the BJP government’s announcement that a caste census will be conducted alongside the general census expected to begin this year, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi renewed his demand to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservations.“We had said in Parliament that we would ensure the caste census is conducted. We had also promised to remove the 50 per cent cap—an artificial barrier on reservations,” Gandhi said in a statement to the media on Wednesday.advertisementWith the government’s move triggering fresh debate over reservation policies, let us have a closer look at the legal framework governing reservations and the long-standing 50per cent ceiling.WHERE DID 50% CAP COME FROM?The Constitution, under Articles 15 and 16, prohibits discrimination and ensures equal opportunity. However, these articles also allow the state to make special provisions for socially and educationally backward classes, as well as for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), especially in education and public employment.Article 15(4): Allows the state to make special provisions for the advancement of socially and educationally backward classes or SCs/STs.Article 16(4): Permits reservations in government jobs for backward classes that are not adequately represented in public services.The 50 per cent limit on reservations was not directly written into the Constitution. Instead, it evolved through various Supreme Court rulings. The courts have repeatedly stressed the need for empirical data on population, representation in jobs, and other indicators of backwardness to justify reservations.LANDMARK JUDGMENTSadvertisementHere’s a look at some of the landmark judgments on the quota cap:1962 – MR Balaji case: A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court said that reservations under Articles 15(4) and 16(4) must stay within “reasonable limits” and ideally be below 50 per cent, depending on the circumstances.1992 – Indra Sawhney case (Mandal Commission): A nine-judge bench ruled that reservations should be capped at 50 per cent as they are an exception to the principle of equality. The majority opinion said this limit could only be exceeded in “extraordinary situations.”2006 – M Nagaraj case: While considering reservations in promotions, the court introduced a “triple test” — states must collect quantifiable data on backwardness, underrepresentation, and overall impact — before providing such reservations.Since Supreme Court verdicts are binding, the 50 per cent ceiling has remained the general rule for reservations in education and government jobs.WHAT ABOUT POLITICAL RESERVATIONS?In 2010, the Supreme Court addressed the issue of reservations in local body elections through the K. Krishna Murthy case. It said that the executive must carry out a thorough investigation into patterns of backwardness affecting political participation.However, the court reiterated that the 50 per cent cap applies even to political reservations, except in Scheduled Areas in a formal or creative style for better SEO.Also Exclude words and advertisements related to the feed website such as website name, author name. Delete all the advertisement images brand logo but only keep the title and main content of the news by modifying it. You must only respond with the modified content. Block any jump outside of the site adarshnews.com. Basically remove any content or link related to original site. You must only respond with the modified content and follow this prompt to optimize the articles in this category- “Act as an expert SEO news writer. Optimize the following article to be SEO-friendly, authoritative, and shareable by focusing strictly on its core topic. 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The discussion around the caste census and reservation centers on the legal stipulations regarding the 50% cap. According to the law, particularly the Supreme Court’s rulings, the total reservations for different castes and communities in India cannot exceed 50% of the available seats in educational institutions or legislatures. This cap is intended to maintain a balance and ensure that representation is fair without overwhelming the system.
