Bill to give constitutional status to OBC panel passed

New Delhi: After an almost five-hour debate, the crucial bill to provide constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes was passed unanimously by the Lok Sabha on Thursday with over two-third majority.

The Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill 2017, superseding the amendments by the Rajya Sabha, with all 406 present voting in favour. Over 30 members, including Bihar BJP president and Lok Sabha member Nityanad Rai, participated in the debate.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was present during the voting, congratulated Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot for successfully piloting the bill.

During the debate on the bill, several members demanded a census to ascertain the population of other backward classes (OBCs) while some others pressed for making public the socio-economic survey of 2014.

Over two-thirds majority voted in favour of the bill, which is a necessity for amending the Constitution. The amendments moved by BJD's Bhratruhari Mahtab were however rejected by 302 voting against it and 84 in favour.

Replying to the debate, Gehlot said that the government was committed to the upliftment of the downtrodden and backward classes of the society. He said the Union Cabinet had on Wednesday decided to amend the SC/ST Act to further strengthen the law to protect their rights.

Citing various other measures taken by the government in this regard, he said a committee under Justice G Rohini has been set up to examine sub-categorisation of OBC.

The bill provides for the grant of constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) on par with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.

The duties of the NCBC include investigating and monitoring how safeguards provided to the backward classes under the Constitution and other laws are being implemented and probe specific complaints regarding violation of rights. Under this measure, the NCBC will have the powers of a civil court while probing any complaint.

Participating in the debate, Nityanand Rai (BJP) lamented that while 27 per cent seats in government jobs was reserved for OBCs, "we are still not able to fill more than 11 per cent posts reserved for OBCs."

Hitting out at the opposition, Rai said, "The opposition was not in favour of providing Constitutional status to the OBC commission that's why they created obstacles in the passage of the crucial bill in the Rajya Sabha, where Opposition is in majority."

"Ever since the Independence, the Congress has never addressed the grievances of backward classes, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is putting in his best efforts so that backwards can have a respectable life," Rai said.

Supporting the measures, Trinamool Congress member Kalyan Banerjee said that the Chairman and the Vice Chairman of the NCBC should be appointed from OBC category.

Bhartruhari Mahtab (BJD), who moved amendments, said that initially when the Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha, the government with its "brute majority" trampled all the amendments moved by the opposition.