Spat between MVA ministers over quota in promotion for govt staff
MUMBAI: Two Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ministers — deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and energy minister Nitin Raut of the Congress — were involved in a verbal dual over quota in promotion in government jobs for reserved category employees.
The state government had, on May 7, issued an order to scrap reservation in promotions in accordance with a Bombay high court (HC) order given in August 2017. The issue was about quota in promotions in government jobs which, according to Dalit activists, was introduced nationally to ensure that employees do not face discrimination in promotions. It was meant for government employees from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other sections in the quota.
During a cabinet sub-committee meeting on Wednesday,
Raut questioned the order which scrapped the reservation saying it was unjust. He also asked Pawar how could the government issue the order without taking the sub-committee of ministers, appointed to take a decision on reservation, into confidence. He also said that despite the court order, the Central government has been implementing reservation in promotions on the basis of the Supreme Court ruling in Jarnail Singh case. Raut demanded that the order be immediately scrapped and a fresh legal opinion be sought on the issue. Pawar is head of the cabinet sub-committee.
Raut’s office issued a press statement saying that the May 7 order has been scrapped.
However, the deputy chief minister’s office clarified that no such decision has been taken and Pawar has agreed to the legal review of the decision. Maharashtra government has given 33% reservation in promotion in government jobs to SC, ST, VJNT and SBC employees. It was challenged in the Bombay HC which, in 2017, ruled against it and asked the government to reverse the promotions given under the decision.