'PM has assured to call all party meeting on reservation'

"The Prime Minister assured to call an all party meeting soon to listen to the views on whether to bring a constitutional amendment or approach the court once again," LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan told reporters outside Parliament.

Paswan said 165 MPs from SC and ST communities were in the delegation that met the Prime Minister. Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy, Power Minister Sushil Shinde were also present at the meeting.

Paswan said they also raised the issue of long pending SC and ST Reservation Bill that was introduced during UPA-I but subsequently could not be passed.

He said lack the allocation of funds for the SC and ST special component plan was also raised.

Political parties from various hues had yesterday in the Rajya Sabha demanded Constitutional amendment to provide for promotion for SCs and STs in jobs, following which the government had express readiness to convene an all-party meeting on the issue.

During a discussion in the Rajya Sabha, MPs had demanded the amendment in the wake of the Supreme Court quashing the Uttar Pradesh government's decision in this regard recently.

The apex court had last week quashed the UP government's decision to provide reservation benefits for SCs, STs and OBCs in promotions saying the state failed to furnish sufficient valid data to justify the move to promote employees on caste basis.