BENGALURU: Karnataka government has decided to seek legal opinion on the Karnataka Extension of Consequential Seniority to Government Servants Promoted on the Basis of Reservation (To the posts in the civil services of the state) Act 2017, which received President’s assent recently.
Employees from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe have questioned the move and are planning to stage a protest on July 4 at Freedom Park, demanding the department to issue an executive order for implementation of the Act.
According to them, after the bill got the President’s nod, the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) should issue an executive order for the implementation of the same. But in this case, the DPAR decided to get a legal opinion and sources from DPAR told The New Indian Express that the file has been sent to Advocate General.
A senior employee said, “While giving nod, the President definitely got opinions of the legal cell and the Centre. When this is the case, our question is why did the government send it for legal opinion again?”
The sources from DPAR saying that the JD(S) is not in favour of this act and this is the reason why it is held back.
However, when contacted a senior official of DPAR said that it has decided to wait till July 4th. “As the case related to this is coming for hearing before Supreme Court on July 4th, it has decided to wait for that,” said a senior official on condition of anonymity.
The SC/ST employees alleged that the government is into delay tactics and it is affecting at least 25,000 employees!
“As per the Supreme Court order on February 9th, 2017 several SC/ST employees have been demoted. But to state government brought this act in the Belagavi session where it insists to restore the employees original status.
As per Supreme Court order, those who have demoted needs to be restored again based on the act, because it received President’s assent,” explained a member of Karnataka State SC/ST employees Co-ordination committee.