Hyderabad: The 12 per cent quota for Muslims and Scheduled Tribes that has been promised by the TRS faces some procedural roadblocks. Though the commissions of inquiry had submitted their report on August 12 recommending quotas, the chances of the government passing a special law along the lines of Tamil Nadu for the purpose looks remote in the near future.
Telangana does not have a BC Commission to approve 12 per cent quota for Muslims under the BC-E quota as it is yet to be constituted. The commission of inquiry on STs had recommended nine per cent quota stating that reservations can't exceed their ratio of population, which is nine per cent as per the Census 2011.
The 12 per cent quota to Muslims and STs was the poll promise made by the TRS during the 2014 general elections and it was incorporated in the party manifesto.
However, the government started realising practical difficulties in implementing the pro-mise after the commissions submitted their reports to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao recently. While receiving the reports, Mr Rao had announced that a special Assembly session would be held soon to approve the quotas.
There are no indications from the government about taking up the quota issue in the special session convened on August 30 to pass the GST Bill, even if the session is extended by three or four days.
There are indications that the government will take up debates on new districts and the agreement with Maha-rashtra on irrigation projects in this special session, if extended.
Asked about these issues, BC welfare minister Jogu Ramanna said: “Only the BC Commission has the powers to increase or decrease quotas or make additions or deletions on eligible castes. We will constitute it soon. However, the exercise done by the government by appoin-ting a commission of inquiry will not go waste as this report will serve as the basis for the BC Commission to approve the 12 per cent quota.”
However, he refused to put a timeframe to how long it would take to appoint a BC commission, get the 12 per cent quota approved and make a legislation in Assembly. The government is clueless over how to go about the 12 per cent ST quota, since their population is just over nine per cent.
