Congress Asks Modi Govt To Start Working Towards Implementing Reservation In Private Sector

The Congress on Wednesday (11 August) asked the government to start working towards implementing the reservation in private sector.

The demand was made by Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge during a discussion in Rajya Sabha on a Constitutional amendment bill to restore the powers of the states to make their own OBC lists. The bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, with 187 members voting in its favour, and no one opposing it.

The bill has been already passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday (10 August).

Claiming that the legislation would benefit 65 per cent people in the country, Kharge also asked the government to add one line in the bill and make provision that the state government can go beyond the 50 per cent limit.

“Add one sentence, that the state government can give (reservation) beyond 50 per cent," he said, reports Arunachal Times.

The Congress leader further said that since the government is moving ahead with privatisation of public enterprises in the banking, insurance and other sectors, it should start working towards applying reservation in private sector too.

It should be noted that the 102nd Constitution Amendment Act of 2018 inserted articles 338B, which deals with the structure, duties and powers of the National Commission for Backward Classes, and 342A that deals with the powers of the president to notify a particular caste as Socially and Educationally Backward Communities (SEBCs) and the power of Parliament to change the list. Article 366 (26C) defines SEBCs.

The Supreme Court had dismissed the Centre’s plea seeking a review of its 5 May majority verdict that held that the 102nd Constitution amendment took away the states’ power to notify SEBCs for the grant of quota in jobs and admissions.

The government brought the legislation to restore the powers of the states to make their own list.