Telangana Speaker Urges Centre to Give Priority to BC Quota Bill on Legalisation
Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar raises an appeal to Union Home Minister Amit Shah with sheer political pressure looming to speedily approve the BC reservation bill that was pending with the Centre at a national speakers conference in New Delhi.
The Speaker emphasised on the urgency to legalise the Backward Classes (BC) reservation bill, in his urgent appeal in a high-stakes appeal to the Union government on Monday, as the full house of Speakers, all State and Union territories, convened at a formal speakers conference held in New Delhi, on Monday. The bill introduced by the Telangana Assembly has already been passed, but has been pending the approval of the Centre.
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As speaker Kumar reminded Shah that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had raised the issue earlier, and it is imperative to bring the process to a close. Shah replied to the speaker that he had assured that the matter will be addressed without delay.
A more aggressive version of the reservation of BCs in the employment, education and local bodies up to 42 percent has been proposed by the bill, which was long abolished by the Congress dominated regimes. The state has even linked the conduction of local body elections to the introduction of this quota, which means that it is prioritized to the general political schedule.
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Hanging a sword over this endeavour is the High Court directive to issue poll notifications by September 30, meaning the next set of legislative clearances will have to be extremely expedited. Pulling everyone off guard in an anti-pre-emptive advance, a panel sub-committee was brought together to plot the path ahead with the looming legislation as the point of concern.
Meanwhile in a tactical raising of the volume, Professor Kancha Ilaiah has been co-opted to the ideology advisory committee of the OBC (Other Backward Classes) of the AICC (All India Congress Committee). He also serves on the panel of experts interpreting caste survey data in the state-reflecting both the Congress commitment to the articulation of policy and the ideological moorings.
Political Implications & Legal Moves
This has been in light of an intensified political drive towards the passing of the BC quota bills. Telangana Congress Political Affairs Committee (PAC) has constituted a five-member committee to take legal course action in advance of the local body elections as the presidential assent was not taken. There is additional urgency because the panel is slated to give its report on August 28.
Furthermore, the government is awaiting opinion on a planned 90-day Presidential assent timeline by the Supreme Court as yet another legal recourse, which may have a bearing on when the quota would become effective.
M Revanth Reddy has also been quite vocal against the Central government terming the lackadaisical attitude a deliberate move and an insult to the people of Telangana. He threatened that any time failed in clearing the bill a political consequence could come in.
Why This Matters:
Such insistence on 42% BC reservation is not just a piece of legislation, but it is also a test of the federal sensitivity, judicial delays and political commitment. The deadline is looming at the High Court and the ball is in the court of the Centre.
