E-Paper
Cabinet nod for scrapping Anglo-Indian Lok Sabha quota
According to the law, 84 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 47 for Scheduled Tribes. In addition, the government nominates two members from the Anglo-Indian community, making it a house of 545 members.
The Union Cabinet approved a proposal on Wednesday to do away with the provisions that allowed representation of the Anglo-Indian community in the Lok Sabha even as it extended the reservation of Schedule Castes (SC) and Schedule Tribes (ST) by 10 years.
The reservation for these categories in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies was to expire on January 25, 2020.
According to the law, 84 of the 543 seats in the Lok Sabha are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 47 for Scheduled Tribes. In addition, the government nominates two members from the Anglo-Indian community, making it a house of 545 members.
In the first term of the Modi government, two members from the Anglo-Indian community were nominated. No nominations were made in the second term, said an official. It is learnt that the decision was taken after a panel that comprised several ministers, including Union defence minister Rajnath Singh, home minister Amit Shah, social justice minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot.
According to news agency reports, the provisions for reservation for members of the Anglo-Indian community has been done away with “for the time being”.
Officials familiar with the developments said the government was of the view that the community was doing well and did not need reservation. If needed, the reservation can be reconsidered later, they added.
It is learnt that reservation for the Anglo-Indian community in the state assemblies could also be withdrawn. However, officials did not comment on this aspect.
At a press briefing, information and broadcasting minister Prakash Javadekar was asked if the quota for Anglo-Indian community had been extended. He said the details will be known once the bill is introduced.
According to the Ministry of Law and Justice, Article 334 of the Constitution lays down that the provisions of the Constitution relating to the reservation of seats for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and the representation of the Anglo-Indian community by nomination in the Lok Sabha and in the Legislative Assemblies shall cease to have effect on the expiration of a period of thirty years from the commencement of Constitution.
