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New Delhi: Bahujan
Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati Monday demanded in the Rajya
Sabha that the government bring a constitutional amendment bill
during the current parliament session to ensure that Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Uttar Pradesh continue to get
reservation benefits in promotions.
Mayawati, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister, made the demand in
the wake of the Supreme Court on April 27 quashing the state
government's decision to provide reservation benefits for SCs and
STs in promotions.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha soon after the house met for the day,
Mayawati also demanded that reservation for SCs and STs should be
placed in the ninth schedule of the constitution so that there is
no problem in implementation of quota provisions for the two
communities.
The issue was raised in the Lok Sabha by Congress member P.L.
Punia after the question hour. He received support from several
members in the house from various parties.
Responding to concerns of members, Minister of State in PMO V.
Narayanasamy told the Lok Sabha that discussions were being
carried out between the ministries of law and justice, and social
justice and empowerment and the government will take immediate
decision in the matter.
The Supreme Court had last week quashed the Mayawati government's
decision to provide reservation benefits for SCs, STs and OBCs in
promotions, saying the state failed to furnish sufficient valid
data to justify the move.
Mayawati, who spoke for the first time since taking oath as Rajya
Sabha member last week, said the central government had amended
the constitution in the wake of court decision in Indra Sawhney
case in 1992 so that SCs and STs continue to get reservations in
jobs and promotions.
Referring to the apex court verdict in M. Nagaraj case in 2006,
she said the court had said that before making a law concerning
promotions for SCs and STs, the central and state government had
to ensure appropriate data on their representation and
backwardness and also examine if reservation in promotions was
affecting administrative efficiency.
She said the Supreme court had on April 27 termed reservation in
promotion for SCs and STs "unconstitutional" in Uttar Pradesh and
had done so earlier in Rajasthan.
Mayawati said SC and ST employees in two states, who had got
seniority and promotions on the basis of reservation, will have to
go back to their original posts.
"This will have bad and long term consequences," she said.
"The central government should get an appropriate amendment passed
in this session to negate the impact of apex court verdict and
fulfill the intention of 77th, 81st, 82nd and 85th amendments,"
Mayawati added.
Demanding that reservation provisions should be placed in the
ninth schedule, she said that the central government should first
get the issue examined to address any infirmities.
Maywati also demanded a discussion in the house on the issue and
said that the central government should clear its stance on the
matter.
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