CHENNAI: The newly reconstituted Backward Classes Commission of Tamil Nadu government will be headed by the retired Justice R Thanikachalam. The term of retired Justice MS Janarthanam, who was previously heading the Commission, came to an end on December 27, 2018.
Retired IAS officers T Pitchandi, TN Ramanathan, and V Chandrasekaran will be members and they will be in office for the next three years with effect from July 8. The reconstitution of the Commission assumes significance as the OBC reservation issue hogging the limelight these days.
The first Backward Classes Commission in Tamil Nadu was formed on November 13, 1969 when the DMK was in power. Later, 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 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 on such matters.
The terms of reference include examining and recommending 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 BCs/MBCs in this State as and when decided. The Commission can also make recommendations on improved reservation for Christians, Muslims, and other Minorities based on their social and educational backwardness.
Improved reservation
The Commission can also make recommendations on improved reservation for Christians, Muslims, and other Minorities based on their social and educational backwardness