The chairpersons of backward classes commissions of southern States on Friday resolved to urge the Centre against “interfering with the acts of inclusion into or exclusion from the list of socially backward classes for the purpose reservation in any State”.
The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes had convened a meeting to discuss the implications of the Centre’s move to provide constitutional backing to the National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NCSEBC), which was attended by commission heads of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Kerala. The Bill that seeks to give constitution status to the NCSEBC, they argued, had provisions that were contrary to the federal structure and undermined their powers.
The commission heads collectively urged the the Centre against interfering in the process of extending any benefit of reservation and other welfare measures within the State. They sought a review of all provisions that centralise the functions aimed at the welfare of socially and educationally backward classes.
The meeting passed 12 resolutions and they would be sent to the Prime Minister, the Lok Sabha Speaker, the Rajya Sabha Chairperson, and Bhupender Yadav, Chairman of the Select Committee (Rajya Sabha) examining the Bill.
In one of the resolutions, they objected to clauses which empower the NCSEBC to make it mandatory for every State government to consult the national commission on all major policy matters. They said it amounted to “undue restrictions on the power of the State government in matters of making policy”. They demanded constitutional status for the State commissions on a par with the NCSEBC and the National Commissions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Karnataka panel’s chairperson H. Kantharaj suggested modifications for certain clauses of the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill 2017 to overcome anomalies and suggested new Articles in their place.
The meeting was attended by K.L. Manjunath, B.S. Ramulu, K. Mohanram, and G. Sivarajan, chairpersons of backward classes commissions of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry, and Kerala, respectively.
On Wednesday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to Mr. Yadav, appealing him to examine the Bill and seeking a review of all provisions that curtail the powers of the State commission.
