CHENNAI: DMK’s Rajya Sabha MP P Wilson on Friday introduced a private member bill aimed at amending the Constitution to elevate reservation for socially and educationally backward classes, in proportion to their population.
The bill It said the Mandal Commission had recommended 27% reservation to Other Backward Class since the living standards of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Class families were deemed much poorer than the mainstream population. For achieving these objectives, provisions were made in Articles 15 and 16 to provide reservation.
The bill said reservation in appointments introduced in 1981 did not enable Other Backward Classes to get their rightful share in employment, and there is inadequate representation in employment, including in promotional posts.
Another bill presented by Wilson was aimed at amending Clause 4 of Article 361 of the Constitution, which provides legal immunity to governors against criminal proceedings.
The bill said Article 361 confers immunity to President and governors from civil and criminal prosecution. The treatment of governor on a par with the President is fallacious since the latter is elected by an electoral college — elected representatives of the Houses of Parliament and legislatures of the states — while the latter is a mere appointee.