More LS seats, OBC with states in new plan

Increasing the strength of the LS by one-thirds and moving the OBC sub-quota matter to state Govts are two proposals that the Parliamentary Committee on Law and Justice is like to take up next month, reports HT.

Increasing the strength of the Lok Sabha by one-thirds and moving the OBC sub-quota matter to state governments are two proposals that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice is like to take up next month.

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Speaking to HT, the committee’s chairperson, E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan said the committee wanted to address the concerns of MP that they might end up losing their own seats. “We feel that by increasing the number of seats, the MPs’ concerns will be addressed. And people will vote fairly. There are indications that there is broad political consensus towards this end. So we have asked all members to speak to their party leaders before we meet on October 7.”

Asked about the opposition by the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Janata Dal United and the Pattali Makkal Katchi, he said: “We feel the issue of OBC sub-quota can be decided by states and this will deal with people’s concerns about a quota within the quota”.

The Women’s Reservation Bill, pending for over a decade, was one of the promises made by the United Progressive Alliance in its Common Minimum Programme and Natchiappan said, “We would like the Bill to go through with consensus”.

“Ninety-five per cent of parties have agreed to approve the Bill,” he said, adding that the Committee was keen the Constitution Amendment Bill be passed in the session.