The government on Thursday came under fire from political parties across the
spectrum for not agreeing to a constitutional amendment to ensure reservations in promotions for Scheduled Castes
and Tribes. The government has offered to convene an all-party meeting to work
out "a consensus for the road ahead".
The demand for constitutional amendment comes in the wake of the Supreme
Court upholding the Allahabad high court's January 2011 decision to scrap the
policy of reservations in promotions introduced by the Mayawati government. The apex court said
that the government has not given enough data to justify the move to promote
employees on a caste basis. The demand for a constitutional amendment to counter
the apex court's ruling was made by members from virtually every political party
during the course of a short duration discussion in the Rajya Sabha initiated by
Satish Chandra Mishra of BSP. On
Monday, BSP chief Mayawati raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha calling on the
government to introduce a constitutional amendment to secure quota in promotions in the current
session.
Replying to the discussion, MoS for personnel V Narayanasamy said despite
several amendments to Article 16 to ensure reservations in promotions, the
"issue is still lingering". Amendments to secure reservations in promotions for
SCs and STs have been challenged and have been struck down by courts. It is for
this reason that Narayanasamy said there was a need for all-party consultations
to devise a "long-term solution" to this "serious matter". BSP chief seized the
opportunity accorded by the government's apparently unenthusiastic response to
an amendment to present her party as the sole protector of Dalits.
Source:-The Economic Times
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