The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to extend reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for 10 years but a question mark prevailed over whether it has extended reservations for two seats in the Lok Sabha for the Anglo-Indian community.
Provisions for reservations for SCs/STs and Anglo- Indians are extended under Article 334 (a) and (b) of the Constitution. While the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar confirmed that the SC/ST reservation under 334(a) was extended by 10 years, he said details of the Bill would be clear when it is tabled in Parliament in the ongoing session.
Two members of the Anglo Indian community have been nominated in the Lok Sabha since the adoption of the Constitution, under article 334(b). Sources said the reservation for members of the Anglo-Indian community had been done away with “for the time being”. They also said that the issue could be revisited at a later day, if required.
There are 84 members from the Scheduled Caste and 47 from the Scheduled Tribe communities in Parliament.
