Mayawati welcomes apex court's decision on SC/ST reservation in promotion

Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati on Wednesday welcomed the directives of the apex court on the case pertaining to the reservation in job promotion for the people belonging to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also urged the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre to implement the Supreme Court's directives by issuing letters to all the state governments.

"The judgement is welcome to a certain extent since Supreme Court did not impose a restriction in this regard and clearly stated that centre or state governments can provide reservation if they wish to do so. I now request the central government to make efforts to implement the directives by the court at the earliest. Centre must send letters to all the state government asking them to follow the latest SC order in the case if they really want these people to be uplifted in the society," she said.

The Apex Court on Wednesday gave all the states the right to decide about quota in job promotion, however, while doing do so they must adhere to guidelines laid down by the top court.

The BSP president was of the view that the Bharatiya Janata Party, after coming to power, has not done enough to improve the status and well being of SCs and STs. "It has been 4.5 years, the BJP is ruling. But till today, they have not done anything for the SCs and STs."

Mayawati lauded the judgement and said that her party workers had, in the past, struggled both inside and outside the Parliament for removal of few conditions laid down by the Supreme Court in the 2006 Nagaraj case.

In Nagaraj vs Union of India, the apex court had stated that it not necessary for the state governments to make reservations for SCs and STs in job promotions. The court had stated, "...state will have to show in each case the existence of compelling reasons, namely backwardness, inadequacy of representation and overall administrative efficiency, before making provision for reservation in promotion."

The judicature today also stated that there is no need to collect data on SCs and STs with regard to reservation government jobs' promotions.

In her concluding remarks, Mayawati reiterated that "if Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government is really bothered about the welfare of the people belonging to SC and ST, then they must take actions on the Supreme Court directives as soon as possible".