SC scraps 10.5% TN reservation for Vanniyars

NEW DELHI: Providing reservation within a reserved category on the sole basis of either caste or population is impermissible under the Constitution, the SC ruled on Thursday, as it affirmed quashing of a Tamil Nadu law for 10.5% internal quota in government jobs and educational institutions to the Vanniakula Kshatriyas community.

The Vanniakula Kshatriya community includes Vanniyars, Vanniyas, Vannia Gounders, Gounders or Kanders, Padayachis, Pallis and Agnikulas Kshatriya. The bill to provide for reservation was introduced by previous AIADMK government at the fag-end of their government in 2021 on demand of its ally PMK, a political party representing Vanniyars. A bench of justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai held that allotting 10.5% quota exclusively for Vanniakula Kshatriyas from the 20% quota meant for all 116 MBCS and DNCS breached the constitutional principles of equality under Article 14 and social justice, as laid down under Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution.

While Articles 15 and 16 empower a state to provide reservation and other special measures for backward classes, the bench highlighed that there was no reasonable basis for treating the Vanniakula Kshatriya community any differently from other 115 communities identified by the Tamil Nadu government as MBCS and DNCS.

NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday registered its first case based on the order of Lokpal, the apex body formed in 2019 to inquire and investigate complaints of corruption against public servants.

The case was filed against Manager Singh, former director-general of the National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property, which comes under the Union ministry of culture, and V K Singh, owner of a private construction company, apart from unidentified public servants.

In its order, sent to the CBI on September 30, 2021, Lokpal directed the premier anti-corruption agency to conduct an investigation in tendering, awarding and execution of work in both the campuses of NRLC at Lucknow and Mysore by the VK Singh Construction Company.

MUMBAI: Two days after the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) youth wing approved a resolution to make party chief Sharad Pawar the chairperson of United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the Shiv Sena on Thursday came out in support of the demand.

“Unfortunately, the Congress is not taking any initiative for it (to grow United Progressive Alliance presence). The UPA is not anybody’s private fief… If it wants to face the 2024 elections, then the UPA should be strengthened and more parties should be brought into its fold,” said Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut in New Delhi on Thursday.

Raut said as a senior politician, Pawar could get