New Delhi, August 5: The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The bill was approved by the Union Cabinet on 31 July and was introduced in the Upper House by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.  The bill was passed with a voice vote. The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 aims to extend the 10 percent quota to economically weaker sections to the state. Article 370 Scrapped in Jammu and Kashmir: Rift in Congress Over Party's Stand, no Word From Rahul Gandhi.

The bill now will be sent to President Ram Nath Kovind for his approval, after which it will become a law. Once it becomes a law, all residents of the state with income below Rs 8 lakh per annum would benefit from a ten percent quota. The Narendra Modi government introduced the ten percent quota for economically weaker sections through the 103rd constitutional amendment in January this year. Article 370 Revoked, Jammu and Kashmir Bifurcated Into Two Union Territories: PM Narendra Modi Likely to Address Nation on August 7.

According to the current Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 the total percentage of reservation in the state cannot exceed 50 percent. The provision of the 103rd amendment can only be made applicable to the state only after this provision in the Act is amended.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the Narendra Modi government proposed a resolution in Parliament to abolish Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, Article 35A was scrapped by Presidential order. The state was also bifurcated into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 05, 2019 06:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).