Punjab ratifies bill to extend reservation to SCs, STs for 10 years

The Punjab Assembly on Friday ratified a bill to extend reservation to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in legislatures for another 10 years.

The motion to ratify the Constitution (126th Amendment) Bill 2019 extending reservation for SCs and STs in Lok Sabha and state assemblies by another 10 years was moved by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

The bill was passed by the Assembly unanimously without any debate.

The reservation for SCs, STs given for the last 70 years in Lok Sabha and state assemblies was due to end on January 25, 2020.

Parliament recently passed a constitution amendment bill in this regard and it has to be ratified by at least 50 per cent of the assemblies before it becomes a law.

There are 84 members belonging to the Scheduled Caste and 47 from the Scheduled Tribe communities in Parliament. In assemblies, there are 614 SC members and 554 ST members.