New Delhi:
The government will have to wait to introduce its sub-quota of 4.5% for minorities within the existing 27% quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The Election Commission (EC) has asked the Centre to wait to implement this reservation in government jobs and universities till the state elections are completed.
Late last month, just before elections were announced for five states including Uttar Pradesh, the cabinet approved the carving out of the sub-quota for minorities. The government clearly wanted to appeal to voters, especially in UP, before the model code of conduct kicked in.
The Election Commission says that the quota policy would deprive other parties of a level-playing field as they contest state elections.
Welcoming the EC's directive, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said, "What Congress was doing was crass vote bank politics...it has been exposed by the Election Commission...it is trying to trigger fight between minorities and other OBCs."
Law Minister Salman Khurshid has been served a notice for announcing this week in UP, that sub-quota for Muslims would be doubled to 9% for state government jobs and colleges. Mr Khurshid has refuted the BJP's claims that he violated the model code of conduct with this declaration. He says the quota is a part of the Congress' manifesto, which has yet to be released.
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