Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 30: Non-serious approach of the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry towards political reservations in the Assembly could be well gauged from the fact that no attempt was made to pass the pending bill in second consecutive session of the Legislative Council notwithstanding the fact that National Conference-Congress coalition Government enjoyed brute majority in the Upper House.
The political reservations are provided only to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) in the Legislative Assembly with seven out of 87 seats reserved for them, all in Jammu region.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the bill extending reservations for SCs in the Legislative Assembly, which was treated as ‘pending’ as it was wrongly passed without two-third majority in the Council by Deputy Chairman Mohammad Yousuf Taing during budget session in February-March, was not taken up for passing during autumn session early this month.
“The bill was pending with the Legislative Council. The Government didn’t give any notice for taking up the bill during autumn session and, therefore, it was not moved for passing”, sources said, adding that the bill had been marked as ‘pending’ in the Upper House.
Sources said that Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, held by veteran National Conference leader Ali Mohammad Sagar, had to give notice to the Legislative Council Secretariat for taking up the bill for passing during autumn session. However, they added, the Council didn’t receive any notice to this effect till the session ended on October 10.
The political reservations for Scheduled Castes are extended after every 10 years. They had expired in 2010. It was only in budget session of the Legislature during February-March 2012 that a bill for extending political reservations in the Assembly was taken up and passed with two-third majority.
However, in the Legislative Council, Deputy Chairman, Mohammad Yousuf Taing, who was in the Chair in the absence of Chairman Amrit Malhotra, declared the bill as passed with simple majority, which was Constitutionally wrong. Later, the bill was declared as ‘pending’ as it had been passed without two-third majority.
Though Assembly elections in the State were scheduled to be held only by the end of 2014 and there was enough time before the Government to get political reservations extended by then. However, an early poll would mean no reservations for the SCs in the Lower House.
Seven Assembly seats have been reserved for SCs in the Assembly including Chhamb, Domana and RS Pura in Jammu district, Samba, Hiranagar in Kathua district, Chenani in Udhampur district and Ramban. Chhamb, Chenani and Ramban are represented by the Congress while Domana, RS Pura and Hiranagar are held by the expelled BJP MLAs. Samba is represented by the National Panthers Party.
Political observed admitted that it was a major lapse on part of the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry for keeping such a sensitive issue of political reservations pending in the House without any reason.
In the Upper House, National Conference-Congress coalition Government has 25 out of 30 members. Even five members of the Opposition (four from People’s Democratic Party and one from national Panthers Party) won’t have any objection to the bill. It could have been easily passed during autumn session of the Legislature, sources said, adding the approval of the bill has been delayed unnecessarily.
In the State Legislative Assembly, Scheduled Castes are the only community, which have been granted political reservations in the form of seven seats. Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) have no reservations. Two Nominated seats have been reserved for Women in the Assembly.
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