CHENNAI: The CPM’s Tamil Nadu state council meeting chaired by leaders, including Prakash Karat, adopted a resolution urging the state to enact legislation to ensure the resumption of quota in promoting government staff. The Madras HC and later the SC struck down the implementation of reservation in promotions of the state government officials last year.
The resolution said the SC verdict in a way rejects the priority given in Article 16 (4) of the Constitution to SCs/STs in promotion. As such, the verdict would affect SCs/STs in a big way and representation in the government posts would go down and ultimately, social justice will be hit.
Already, many higher posts are being filled through competitive examinations. Against this backdrop, SCs/STs, MBCs, BCs and others would lose the priority being given to them in promotions. It may be recalled that the state, in November last, constituted a committee of legal experts to draft legislation for ensuring the implementation of quota at all levels of the government services, especially while fixing seniority for promotions. The panel was formed after the Madras HC struck down reservation in promotions of government officials and SC upheld this ruling.
The meeting also adopted a resolution urging the state to give up the Adani Group’s Kattupalli Port since the project will cause huge damage to the environment. A few days ago, the government postponed the public hearing on this project indefinitely. The resolution said this project would severely affect the livelihood of fishermen and there is no need for Adani Group’s port since the Port of Chennai and Kamarajar port are located around the Adani project site.