NEW DELHI: THE Monsoon session of Parliament will not only see the election of the second Dalit President, but also witness the passage of the Bill seeking to grant Constitutional status to the “Other Backward Castes (OBC) Commission”.
The Rajya Sabha Select Committee headed by BJP MP Bhupender Yadav is learnt to have prepared a report on the basis of consensus on the OBC Bill.
“The report is ready and will be submitted in the House on the last day of the first week of the Monsoon session as directed by the Chair at the time of the constitution of the select committee. All members have prepared the report on the basis of a consensus after holding 10 meetings. The committee has gone through the submissions of all state governments with respect to the Bill. It will be moved in the Rajya Sabha for passage,” said a member of the committee.
Incidentally, the Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in the Budget session of Parliament, but got stuck in the Rajya Sabha after the Opposition sought that it be referred to the select committee.
Once the Bill is passed by the Rajya Sabha, the OBC Commission will get similar Constitutional status as enjoyed by the Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes. “The Commission can recommend addition and deletion of castes from the OBC list, which will require Parliament’s nod,” added the member.
The BJP is bracing up to showcase the grant of Constitutional status to the OBC Commission as its big achievement, as underlined during the party’s national executive meeting held in Bhubaneswar.
With the clamour for the OBC status gaining force in some states which witnessed agitations for reservations in government jobs and educational institutions, the BJP is hoping that the party will be able to answer such demands with the grant of the Constitutional status.
The Monsoon session of Parliament is likely to be held between July 17 and August 11.