New Delhi: A key bill to provide constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes secured Parliament’s approval on Monday with the Rajya Sabha passing the measure that will give the panel full powers to safeguard the rights and interests of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill 2017 was passed after a spirited debate during which several members urged the Centre to make public the findings of the caste census and implement reservation accordingly. It was cleared by the Lok Sabha on August 2 superseding the amendments earlier carried out by the Rajya Sabha. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah termed as “historic” the passage of the bill.
The NCBC, a statutory body created in 1993, was given limited powers – only to recommend to the government inclusion or exclusion of a community in the central list of OBC’s. Also, the power to hear complaints of the OBC’s and protect their interests remained with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.
