The Centre has decided to come up with a comprehensive legislation to deal with fake Scheduled Tribe Certificates that is used for securing employment against quota.
Union Minister for Tribal Affairs V.Kishore Chandra Deo initiated the move after referring a case of this nature to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) and the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) for initiating action against the wife of an IAS officer who secured a job as a teacher with the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).
Mr. Deo informed both Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari and Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar after members demanded action against those depriving rightful claimants to quota in employment and education. He also apprised them of the action he had initiated in the immediate case and told them that he had instructed his ministry officials to prepare the legislation in line with the observation made by the Supreme Court.
The Ministry said an inquiry committee held that the conduct of Vimla Singh, wife of joint secretary-level officer in the Law Ministry P.B.Singh, attracted provisions of the IPC for forgery and cheating.
Mr. Deo quoted the apex court, which directed the Centre in 1995 to come up with a law prescribing penal consequences against those flouting the Constitution and “cornering the benefits reserved for the real tribals.”
The apex court ruled that in such cases the candidate and his parents and guardian should be prosecuted and disqualified from holding elective posts or offices under the State or Union and contesting elections to any local body, legislature or Parliament.
