NEW DELHI: The

on Wednesday passed Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill to provide

in education and government jobs for the 'economically weak' people across castes and religions in the general category.

The bill was passed with 165 members supporting it and 7 members opposing it.

Shortly after bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister

said that its passage is "a victory for social justice".

The Prime Minister said that the bill "ensures a wider canvas for our Yuva Shakti to showcase their prowess and contribute towards India's transformation".

PM Modi further said that the passage of the bill is a tribute to the makers of the Constitution and the great freedom fighters.

On Tuesday, the Lok Sabha had passed the same bill with virtually all parties supporting it despite the opposition calling the proposed law a pre-poll 'stunt' of the Modi government.

Today, MPs from different political parties put forward their views in support and opposition of the bill.

From the government's side, law minister

led the debate, saying that the legislation gives powers to the states to decide on the economic criteria for defining the beneficiaries.

A state, for instance, can fix annual income of Rs 5 lakh as the criteria for availing of the reservation in jobs and educational institutions. The Constitution will give the states powers to fix that, he said.

On the timing of the bill, the minister said -- "We have come late. Better late than never. Parliament is scripting history. If you are supporting, support wholeheartedly. Why ifs and buts."

Participating in the debate, Congress leader and noted lawyer Kapil Sibal supported the bill but expressed concern over the way the bill is being passed in a haste in a day.

He, however, warned that the bill will have to face three-four major hurdles before implementation.

Sibal sought to know if the government has collected any demographic data on EWS and what would happen in states where dalits and OBCs are in majority.

He also sought to know if this bill would stand the scrutiny of the nine-member bench of Supreme Court that struck down 10 per cent reservation to EWS while delivering the Mandal judgement.

"How many people have 5 acres of land, 100-yard plot, 1,000 sq ft house. Have you collected any data? It took 10 years to implement the Mandal Commission report (on the reservation to SC/ST). Now you want to pass the bill in a day without any data," he said.

"This is like demonetisation. This another jumla. Kamal ka amla, ek aur jumla," he said.

He claimed that the central government has managed to create only 45,000 jobs annually in the last five years. "If you give 10 per cent reservation, you will give 4,500 jobs. You brought this bill to benefit 4,500 people?"

AIADMK was one of the parties which opposed the bill on the grounds that it violated the basic structure of the Constitution and staged a walkout.

The bill, which the government said was "historic" and in the country's interest, was passed in the Lok Sabha by an overwhelming majority on Tuesday

After a debate that continued for over four and half hours, 323 Lok Sabha members voted in support of the bill and only three voted against it, underlining the cross-party support given the political significance of the proposed legislation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as also Congress president Rahul Gandhi, were present when the voting took place.

On Monday, the government had extended the proceedings of Rajya Sabha by a day to ensure the passage of the bill. The decision (to extend the proceedings) came after the government approved a 10 per cent job and education quota for "economically weaker" sections, meeting a key demand of upper castes.

(With inputs from agencies)