Telangana to bring in legislation on quota threshold for Backward Classes
Hyderabad: The TS government plans to bring in legislation to increase reservations for Backward Classes and others in the state.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao told newly-nominated BC Commission chairman B.S. Ramulu and members that the state would follow the Tamil Nadu model which passed legislation increasing total reservations to 69 per cent in tune with the population and sent it to the Centre for approval.
The BC panel members called on the CM at his camp office on Thursday.
At present, TS has 50 per cent reservation for BCs, SCs and STs, the limit prescribed by the Supreme Court. This includes 29 per cent for BCs, including 4 per cent for Muslims under ‘BC E’ quota, 15 per cent for SCs and 6 per cent for STs.
Mr Rao promised to increase reservations for STs and Muslims to 12 per cent each, which will take the overall quota to 64 per cent which is not permissible as per the Supreme Court.
“We want BPL (Below Poverty Line) families in the state to become APL (Above Poverty Line). BC commission should carefully study the socioeconomic condition and give suggestions to the government in this regard. We will bring in a special Act on the lines of Tamil Nadu to increase reservations,” Mr Rao said.
He said TS has over 80 per cent BCs and their living conditions have to be improved. “Reservations should be increased. TN government increased reservations as per the population. Parliament too approved it and included in the 9th Schedule. The same should happen in TS. We will convince the Centre and increase reservations,” he said.
The Tamil Nadu government had brought in a special Act in the Assembly and hiked the reservations to 69 per cent. It was approved by Parliament and incorporated under Section 9 of the Constitution to ensure legal sanctity. It was challenged by some in SC.
The SC, in the Indira Sawhney case, ruled that reservations contemplated in Clause (4) of Article 16 of the Constitution cannot exceed 50 per cent.
The YSR government in July 2004 tried to cross the 50 per cent mark by providing 5 per cent reservations for Muslims but it was struck down and government, after a three year legal battle had to restrict it to 4 per cent.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Etala Rajender told BC commission members that there was no proper record of BC population in the State. Welcoming the CM’s decision on setting up of the BC Commission, Mr Rajender said that it would help resolve problem faced by BCs, their population and requirements for all-round development.
