DEBATE

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has projected the interim order as yet another effort by the Narendra Modi government to empower weaker sections. Lawyers say the order is a clarification that pending cases before the top court do not bar the government from continuing promotions. Reservation, too, can be implemented. And experts say the existing law guiding the reservation policy is the 2006 SC judgement. Still ,last week’s interim order provides an opportunity to the government to counter the Opposition’s charge that it failed to defend the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act when it was “diluted” by the SC in March.