New Delhi:The Centre informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that there was no proposal to increase reservation for Other Backward Castes as per population in the local body elections.
Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Kapil Moreshwar Patil, during the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, said OBCs are provided one-third reservation under Article 243D of the Constitution.
"However, 21 state governments have increased the reservation up to 50 per cent. The member has sought to increase the reservation for OBCs as per the population in the local body elections. There is no such proposal before us," he said.
In local bodies, there is a 50 per cent reservation for women. Under this quota, there is a provision to accommodate OBCs, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Patil added. However, the state governments have the right to provide reservations for OBCs.
"On this subject, the states should take a call at their level," the Union minister said while replying to another supplementary question. He said local body elections could not be held in Maharashtra due to the OBC quota issue. The Supreme Court has said that the reservation cannot be increased beyond 50 per cent without empirical data.