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New Delhi: In a historic decision, the apex Court on Thrusday cleared the decks for implementing 27 per cent quota for OBCs in Centrally-run institutions of higher education by upholding the legality of the 93rd Constitutional Amendment.

Welcoming this decision the Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh promptly said ''It is a historic judgement that would benefit hundreds of students belonging to the OBCs''.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan upheld the validity of the act by a majority of 4:1 with Justice Dalveer Bhandari dissenting.

The apex court also ruled that if the basis of reservation is caste, the creamy layer among these castes must be excluded from the benefits of reservation policy.

Lauding the decision, the Congress said the verdict had 'silenced' the detractors of the UPA government's reservation policy.

The opposition BJP too welcomed the apex court verdict saying it was a victory for the downtrodden sections of the society.