The State government on Tuesday told the Madras High Court that it had constituted a group of ministers to consider the matter related to issuing income and wealth certificates to those who require reservations in education and public service under the 10% quota for economically weaker sections (EWS) of society.
Justices R. Subbiah and Krishnan Ramasamy were told by Advocate General Vijay Narayan that an officer holding the post of Commissioner of Revenue Administration on May 4, 2019 had issued a circular permitting Tahsildars in the State to issue such certificates without consulting the matter with the minister concerned.
However, since the government felt that it was a policy decision that had to be taken after due consideration of all issues revolving around implementation of EWS quota, the incumbent Commissioner had issued instructions to all Collectors on June 4 for preventing the Tahsildars from issuing such income certificates.
“The issue is now being considered by a group of ministers,” the A-G said and requested the court to adjourn all cases that had been filed against cancellation of last year’s circular by two weeks so that an appropriate decision could be taken by then. The Division Bench accepted his submission and adjourned the cases to July 11.
Akhila Bharatha Brahmin Association president T.P. Kulathumani and others had moved the Madras High Court challenging the instructions issued by the Commissioner of Revenue Administration on June 4. They pointed out that the reservation for EWS was brought into force by the Centre through an amendment to the Constitution.
Though the beneficiaries required income certificates to apply for jobs in railways, banks and other sectors, the Tamil Nadu government had suddenly prevented Tahsildars from issuing them, the litigants complained.
