CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has reconstituted its Backward Classes Commission. Retired Justice R Thanikachalam will head the Commission now. The term of retired Justice MS Janarthanam who was heading the Commission came to an end on December 27, 2018.
Retired IAS officers - T Pitchandi, TN Ramanathan, and V Chandrasekaran and three others will be members and they will be in office for three years from July 8.
In pursuance of the direction of the Supreme Court in Writ Petition Nos. 930 /1990 etc., known as Mandal Commission cases, the State government had constituted a permanent Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Commission under Article 16(4) read with Article 340 of the Constitution of India under the Chairmanship of retired Justice K Shanmugam on March 15, 1993, for examining requests of inclusion and complaints of over-inclusion or non-inclusion in the list of Other Backward Classes and to advise the government.
The terms of reference of the Commission are as follows:
The Commission shall entertain, examine and recommend upon requests for inclusion and complaints of over-inclusion and under-inclusion in the lists of Backward Classes / Most Backward Classes.
Periodic revision of the list of Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes in this State as and when decided.
The Commission shall base its recommendations in the light of provision contained in Article 16(4) read with relevant provisions of the Constitution of India and the various decisions of the Supreme Court bearing on the subject.
The Commission shall make recommendations on improved reservation for Christians, Muslims, and other Minorities based on their social and educational backwardness.
The Commission shall examine and recommend upon the demand made by various communities to provide for internal reservation within the reservation provided for Most Backward Classes.
The Commission shall examine and make recommendations on any other matter relating to Backward Classes that may be referred to it by Government from time to time.