Govt introduces Constitution amendment bill in LS to restore states' rights on OBC list
New Delhi: The government on Monday introduced a key Constitution amendment bill in the Lok Sabha that seeks to restore the states' power to make their own OBC lists.
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar introduced the Constitution (127th Amendment) Bill, 2021.
In the statement of objects and reasons, Kumar said in order to adequately clarify that the states and Union territories are empowered to prepare and maintain their own lists of SEBCs (Socially and Educationally Backward Classes) and with a view to maintain the federal structure of the country, there is a need to amend Article 342A and make consequential amendments in articles 338B and 366 of the Constitution.
Most Opposition members, including those from the Congress, have supported the politically sensitive bill as it touches on the interests of the numerically-strong Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
"The government is going to introduce the Constitution amendment bill in Parliament. All leaders of various parties will support this bill and we want this bill being introduced today (Monday) to be passed immediately after a discussion on it," Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters.
Opposition members, who have been in the Well of the House throughout the session to register their protest over the Pegasus snooping issue, went back to their seats when the minister introduced the bill.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress, T R Baalu of the DMK and Ritesh Pandey of the BSP voiced their support to the proposed legislation even as they objected to the manner in which the government has been pushing forth with its legislative agenda amid the din.
Chowdhury said had the government listened to the Opposition members earlier, the states' rights would have remained protected.
The ruling BJP has issued a whip to its MPs in the Rajya Sabha, asking them to ensure their presence in the House in the next two days, when the bill may be introduced and taken up for passage in the Upper House of Parliament.
The 102nd Constitution Amendment Act of 2018 inserted articles 338B, which deals with the structure, duties and powers of the National Commission for Backward Classes, and 342A that deals with the powers of the president to notify a particular caste as an SEBC and the power of Parliament to change the list. Article 366 (26C) defines SEBCs.
The Supreme Court has dismissed the Centre's plea seeking a review of its May 5 majority verdict that held that the 102nd Constitution amendment took away the states' power to notify SEBCs for the grant of quota in jobs and admissions.
Opposition parties had then accused the Centre of assaulting the federal structure by taking away the power of the states to identify and list the OBCs.
However, Kumar told the Rajya Sabha last month that the government is in consultation with legal experts and the Ministry of Law and examining ways to protect the power of the states in determining the state lists of OBCs.
On May 5, a five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, had unanimously set aside a Maharashtra law granting quota to Marathas and refused to refer the 1992 Mandal verdict that put a 50-per cent cap on reservation to a larger bench.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
