Q. Consider the following statements:
Statement – I:The Supreme court of India has held in some judgements that the reservation policies made under Article 16 (4) of the constitution of India would be limited Article 335 for maintenance of efficiency of administration.
Statement – II:Article 335 of the Constitution of India defines the term ‘efficiency of administration’.
Which of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Statement I is correct. It has frequently been argued that reservation is contrary to efficiency and merit. Even the Supreme Court of India appeared to have agreed with this argument in some of its judgements, holding that Article 335’s mention of the term “efficiency of administration” will limit the scope of Article 16(4)’s provision for reservation in services.
Statement II is incorrect. Article 335 of the Constitution of India states that, “The claims of the members of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes shall be taken into consideration, consistently with the maintenance of efficiency of administration, in the making of appointments to services and posts in connection with the affairs of the Union or of a State”. Article 335 of the Indian Constitution only mentions about the ‘efficiency of administration’ and does not defines the same.
Source: https://dopt.gov.in/sites/default/files/ch-11.pdf
https://www.epw.in/journal/2021/19/special-articles/reservations-efficiency-and-making-indian.html
