Quota illogical: SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan

Thiruvananthapuram: SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan has sought to expose the ‘illogical’ 10 per cent reservation in jobs for the poor forward communities. He pointed out that the SC and STs, constituting more than 10 per cent of population, do not have a single representative in 1,700 jobs, from clerk to commissioner, on Devaswom boards. In a signed piece, Mr Natesan pointed out even after 16 years of the Justice K.K. Narendran Commission report the government had not complied with his recommendation to plug the deficit in government jobs for Ezhavas and other depressed communities. 

The economic reservation in Devaswom boards is ridiculous because 10 per cent jobs are being reserved for forward communities that occupy 90 per cent Devaswom jobs. 18 per cent jobs in devaswoms in lieu of non-Hindu communities should be redistributed among eligible communities. There are only 200 Ezhavas in Devaswom boards.

The Ezhava community, which accounts of 27 per cent of the population and has 14 per cent statutory reservation, enjoys only 19.03 per cent category I (Government departments) jobs. This means that apart from 14 per cent reserved jobs, the community had only 5.03 per cent more representation. In universities, Ezhava members account for 20.59 per cent. This indicates Kerala is not empathetic towards BCs. Justice Narendran had pointed out that reservation communities, especially 27 per cent Ezhava, had been deprived of their due share through misinterpretation of reservation norms and through subterfuge on communal rotation. Those eligible on merit were being included in reserve quota. The reservation system was being derailed through piecemeal appointments even when a larger pool of jobs has been reported.

The economic reservation is unconstitutional and a violation of court verdicts. A 9-judge bench in Mandal case had ruled economic reservation unconstitutional. Article 16 (4) applies to job reservations in state service.  This verdict empowers the government to reserve jobs and posts for backward classes service only if there is a shortfall in terms of population. By promising to reserve jobs on the basis of economic status, the government is being foolish, because it is against the Constitution. Also this is an attempt cheat forward communities by proffering them what is not guaranteed by the law, said Mr Natesan.