'Reservation should be put under Ninth Schedule,' says Chirag Paswan

Lok Sabha MP Chirag Paswan on Monday said that the central government should immediately put all issues related to reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

New Delhi:Lok Janshakti Party leader and Lok Sabha MP Chirag Paswan on Monday said that the central government should put the issues related to the Supreme Court’s order on reservation in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

The Supreme Court on February 7 has held that states are not bound to provide reservation in appointments and there is no fundamental right to claim quota in promotions.

Speaking to ETV Bharat, Paswan said that, " Our party has strong objections to what the court has said. Reservation is not a mercy or a favour, it is a right. Such observations will hurt the sentiments of the people belonging to SCs/ STs and OBCs."

He further added that “I have spoken to the BJP leadership and requested them that, once and for all, the laws regarding SC/ST reservation should be put under the ninth Schedule of the Constitution so that all debates about this issue are put to rest."

Chirag Paswan also said that there is a need for Indian Judicial Service that will ensure representation of SCs, STs and OBCs in the higher judiciary.

"Almost nil presence of these communities in the higher judiciary is a reason behind such decisions from courts," he said.

LJP leader and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan who chaired a meeting with Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe MPs at his residence, said the orders from the high judiciary on issues related to the weaker sections of society often cause confusion among these communities.

The order on reservation is disturbing, he said and demanded that all these issues should be put in the Constitution's Ninth Schedule which will bar their judicial review.

He expressed confidence that the government will take appropriate measures.

A law under Ninth Schedule is supposed to be immune from judicial review and cannot be challenged in the court.

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