Bill on extension of SC, ST quota in LS, Assemblies introduced

It also proposes scrapping of nomination of Anglo-Indians

A Bill seeking to extend by 10 years reservation to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and the Assemblies and remove the provision of nominating two members of the Anglo-Indian community to the Lok Sabha was introduced in the House on Monday.

The reservation given to SCs, STs and the Anglo-Indian community for the past 70 years is to end on January 25, 2020.

Trinamool opposes

Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy opposed the introduction of the Constitution (126th) Amendment Bill, saying the Anglo-Indian community was being deprived of representation.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that while the merits of the Bill could be gone into during the debate, the extension of reservation to the SC and ST communities was for representation, while the Anglo-Indian community was nominated.

“According to the 2011 census, there are 296 members of the Anglo Indian community in the entire country. However, I would still maintain that we have not closed our minds to revisiting the issue,” he said.

The Bill was then cleared for introduction by voice vote to be taken up for consideration and passing later.