Special session for passage of Muslim quota Bill: KCR

This is not a religious reservation, says Chief Minister

The State government is likely to convene a special session of the Legislature for a day to pass legislation enhancing reservation for Muslims.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao requested Speaker S. Madhusudana Chary not to prorogue the Budget session, which came to a close on Monday, so that the House could be convened for a day to discuss and pass the legislation.

Mr. Rao made this remark while replying to the debate on the Appropriation Bills for the year 2017-2018 in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.

Allaying apprehensions expressed by the Opposition, he said the commission appointed to study the enhancement of reservations for Muslims was expected to submit its report soon. “Once the report is submitted, we want to convene the House within a week so that the issue can be discussed,” the Chief Minister said.

Muslims, placed under the BC(E) category, are currently being given 5% quota and the government proposed to enhance it by another 5% to 6%. “This is not a religious reservation. We are committed to fulfil the assurance we gave to the people in the run up to the elections,” Mr. Rao asserted.

BC reservation

The Chief Minister responded positively to a suggestion on enhancement of reservation for backward classes. “Quota for BCs should be increased proportionately to their population. But the issue needs an in-depth study,” he said.

The government had constituted the BC Commission, but was yet to give terms of reference to the panel. “A decision on enhancing the quota will be taken once the commission submits its report,” he said.

In this context, Mr. Rao cited the example of Tamil Nadu where 69% quota was being provided as against the mandated 50%. “We want the Central government and the Supreme Court to allow us to fix quota on the basis of the population on the lines of Tamil Nadu. We will represent the matter to the Centre and the Supreme Court,” he said.