Punjab Reserved Posts For Scheduled Castes In Picking Law Officers: Minister

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema Wednesday informed the House that it is for the first time that the state government provided reservation for the scheduled castes in the appointment of law officers in the office of the state advocate general.

He was giving his reply on a calling attention notice on the concluding day of the two-day Punjab assembly session here.

Through the calling attention notice, BSP MLA Nachhatar Pal sought to draw attention towards the alleged non-implementation of the reservation policy for the SCs in appointment of law officers in the office of the advocate general.

The finance minister informed the House that the Mann government reserved 58 posts for the SCs for the first time in the appointment of law officers.

As many as 178 posts are for the general category, he said.

Mr Cheema alleged the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal-BJP alliance ruled the state several times, but despite the fact that the state has around 33 per cent population belonging to the SC category, no government made reservations for lawyers belonging to this category while appointing law officers. 

Within a few days, these posts will be filled and these advocates will perform their duties in the high court, he said, adding that the advertisement was issued for hiring law officers on November 23.

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