Bill to extend political reservation for SC, ST taken up for discussion in LS

The Lok Sabha took up the extension of reservation bill for SCs and STs by ten years in the Lower House and state assemblies for discussion on Tuesday. While discussing the bill, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad urged the Lok Sabha members to pass the legislation unanimously to convey its commitment to ensuring the welfare of these sections. 

The present reservation status for SC and ST of the house will end on January 25, 2020. Therefore, by moving the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Bill, 2019, for passage in the Lok Sabha, Prasad said that the Constitution makers had thought it necessary to give political reservation to SCs and STs.

The decision to provide reservations to SCs and STs was taken in proportion to their population in state assemblies. 

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The Union Minister said that according to the 2011 census, the SC population was 20.6 crore and the ST population was 10.45 crore. As per the order issued by the Delimitation Commission in 2008, out of 543, 414 are general, 84 seats are reserved for SCs and 47 for STs. Earlier, it was 79 and 41 for SC and ST respectively. In states, 614 of 4,120 seats were reserved for SCs.

Union Minister Prasad also added that there was a provision of reservation for Anglo-Indians but the government had not brought it to the House and "was deliberating on it".

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As per the census, there were 296 members of the Anglo-Indian community, Prasad said. With opposition members raising questions on the government's move, Prasad said that Congress in the past had ended concessions given to them in the postal department and railways. He said opposition members should do their "homework" before raising an issue. "We have not closed the doors," the minister said.

The reservations were made to make up for the discrimination these communities had suffered due to prevalent social evils in the Hindu community. "If they faced discrimination for historical reasons, it is the constitutional duty of Parliament (to provide reservation)," he said.

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(With inputs from ANI)