Prez appoints panel to examine sub-categorization of OBCS

Concept of democracy diminishing in all parties VIRBHADRA SINGH

NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday appointed a fivemember commission to examine the sub-categorisation of Other Backward Classes (OBCS) in the country.

The commission, which will be headed by Justice (Retired) G Rohini, was appointed under article 340 of the Constitution that empowers the President to take such a step when he considers it advisable.

According to a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the commission will examine the extent of inequitable distribution of benefits of reservation among the castes or communities included in the broad category of OBCS with reference to such classes included in the central list.

The commission will also work out the mechanism, criteria, norms and parameters in a scientific approach for sub-categorisation within such classes and will take up the exercise of identifying the respective castes or communities or subcastes or synonyms in the Central List of OBC and classifying them into their respective subcategories, the statement said.

The commission will submit its report to the President within twelve weeks, following which the Centre will consider ways for equitable distribution of the benefits of the reservation for OBCS.

Earlier, on August 23, finance minister Arun Jaitley had announced that the government will soon set up a commission to examine the sub-categorization of OBCS, even as it has raised the OBC creamy layer criterion to Rs 8 lakh from Rs 6 lakh.