UP assembly to ratify bill with no nomination provision
LUCKNOW: When the state assembly votes to ratify the Constitution (126th) Amendment Bill on Tuesday to extend reservation to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (STs) for another 10 years the ratification may ultimately mean bringing down its own strength from 404 to 403 members in Uttar Pradesh as the bill does not provide for extending the nomination to the Anglo-Indian community.
At present, the Uttar Pradesh assembly has a seat reserved for nomination of an Anglo-Indian community member. Denzil Godin is a nominated member from the community in the state assembly and his term expires in 2022.
“Yes, the bill provides for extending reservation to SCs and STs in the Lok sabha and state assemblies. It does not have a provision for extending the reservation for Anglo Indian community for 10 years,” said UP government spokesman and minister Sidharth Nath Singh.
“UP assembly’s strength will come down to 403 at the end of the 70-year-term of reservation to the Anglo-Indian community,” said a senior officer.
Although the union government is learnt to have given the assurance that the issue of reservation to the Anglo-Indian community in Lok Sabha and state assemblies may be considered separately, the provision for reservation to the community will end on January 25, 2020.
If no steps are taken to extend the reservation in coming months, ratification of the bill may mean bringing down the assembly’s strength to 403.
Meanwhile, All India Anglo
Indian-Indian Association President-in-Chief Barry O’Brien in a letter to chief minister Yogi Adityanath has requested the CM and members of the state assembly through speaker to convey to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the need for continuation of the reservation.
“Our community has made progress over the last 70 years and many are going in for higher education and doing well… but much remains to be done! There are many who are still fighting the odds and need assistance, care and opportunity,” said O’Brien. UP assembly had a strength of 426 members, who included a nominated member from the Anglo-Indian community. After formation of separate state of Uttarakhand, the strength of the state assembly came down to 404 members, including the nominated member. Godin also said he has personally requested chief minister Yogi Adityanath and sent a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.
“I am a BJP member and hope the party leadership will consider extending the term in the national interest as the community has contributed a lot,” he said.