Parl allows states to make OBC lists

NEW DELHI: The Parliament on Tuesday unanimously passed the bill to restore the power of states and union territories to prepare and maintain their own list of socially and educationally backward classes (SEBCS).

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed in Rajya Sabha amid demand from opposition parties for caste census and raising the cap on reservation above 50 per cent.

The bill was unanimously passed by Lok Sabha on Tuesday following a division.

Participating in the debate on the bill, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said it should have a provision that states can give reservation above the cap of 50 per cent. He said the backlog of vacancies for Other Backward Classes should be filled.

The bill was passed by the House following a division.

As in the Lok Sabha, the opposition parties decided to “cooperate” with the government in passing the bill and suspended their protest in the House over their demand for a probe into allegations of surveillance through Pegasus spyware and repeal of farm laws.

The opposition parties have been protesting and forcing adjournments since the beginning of the monsoon session over their demands.

Replying to the debate on the bill, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar said there was unanimous support for the bill and it was historic.

He said Social Economic and Caste Census (SECC) data based on the 2011 census was has been used in welfare schemes of the Narendra Modi government including Ujjwala and Ayushman Bharat.

The division took place through voting slips as the House has a special seating arrangement as part of precautions against Covid-19.