Haryana Jat quota: HC verdict today on pleas challenging 10% reservation, community threatens fresh stir

Haryana: The Punjab and Haryana High court is set to pronounce its verdict on much awaited petitions challenging 10% reservation on Jats and five other communities in Haryana on Friday; the prolonged demand, which had created a ruckus in the last year.    Division bench had reserved its order in March: The High court verdict is awaited after a division bench had reserved its verdict in March after a hearing where the state government had defended the Haryana Backward Classes (reservation in services and admission in educational institutions) Act 2016. The court later stayed the reservation after it was challenged on the ground that law was contrary to the basic structure of the Constitution and exceeded the 50% limit set by the Supreme Court. A powerful Jat organisation seeking reservation had threatened to escalate its stir if the court refuses to meet the demands. The Jats constitute 26% of Haryana’s total population of 2.64-crore. Jat agitation paralysed Haryana: A massive movement was launched by Jats last year in February seeking reservations, in the whole of Haryana where at least 30 people lost their lives and more than 300 people injured. Many trains were cancelled and houses were torched. The agitation led to loss of both lives and property and the same crippled Haryana for 2 weeks.