09-12-2007, 06:14 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Why are castes being added to OBC list?: SC </b>
Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed concern over the rate at which castes were increasingly getting listed as backward classes for reservations in jobs and educational institutions without an outer limit estimating their strength.
Pressed for a solution, a Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan said, "Is there a list of total number of castes?" Justice RV Raveendran forming the Bench with the Chief Justice of India remarked, <b>"It is strange that without an outer limit we are adding on more castes in the list".</b>
The judge's remark came in response to senior advocate KK Venugopal's submission that "the policy of reservation is intended for obtaining votes at the elections." Arguing for the anti-quota petitioners before the Bench examining the Constitutional validity of the Central Educational Institution (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006, Venugopal gave the example of recent Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. He said the Bahujan Samaj Party came to power with 206 seats with a mere difference of four per cent of votes as against its nearest rival Samajwadi Party.
The senior advocate said, "India is shining but backwardness is increasing rapidly with the increased number of backward castes bearing elections in mind."
Venugopal said <b>in Tamil Nadu that before every election there was an addition of one or two castes in the list of backward class to secure vote of a particular caste en bloc. Substantiating his arguments, he said the Muslims in the country constitute 11 per cent of the population and if they vote en bloc for a political party it would win.</b>
Castes have to be totally excluded and it cannot be a factor for identifying the backwardness, he said. Senior advocate K Parasaran appearing for the Centre retaliated suggesting that the people of upper castes have misinterpreted caste system over the years. The Bench quipped, <b>"You have created the problem. It is up to you (Centre) to find the solution." The senior advocate stated that the number of castes in the list have risen from 1,373 in 1950 to 5,013 by July 2006.</b>
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Pioneer News Service | New Delhi
The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed concern over the rate at which castes were increasingly getting listed as backward classes for reservations in jobs and educational institutions without an outer limit estimating their strength.
Pressed for a solution, a Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan said, "Is there a list of total number of castes?" Justice RV Raveendran forming the Bench with the Chief Justice of India remarked, <b>"It is strange that without an outer limit we are adding on more castes in the list".</b>
The judge's remark came in response to senior advocate KK Venugopal's submission that "the policy of reservation is intended for obtaining votes at the elections." Arguing for the anti-quota petitioners before the Bench examining the Constitutional validity of the Central Educational Institution (Reservation in Admission) Act, 2006, Venugopal gave the example of recent Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. He said the Bahujan Samaj Party came to power with 206 seats with a mere difference of four per cent of votes as against its nearest rival Samajwadi Party.
The senior advocate said, "India is shining but backwardness is increasing rapidly with the increased number of backward castes bearing elections in mind."
Venugopal said <b>in Tamil Nadu that before every election there was an addition of one or two castes in the list of backward class to secure vote of a particular caste en bloc. Substantiating his arguments, he said the Muslims in the country constitute 11 per cent of the population and if they vote en bloc for a political party it would win.</b>
Castes have to be totally excluded and it cannot be a factor for identifying the backwardness, he said. Senior advocate K Parasaran appearing for the Centre retaliated suggesting that the people of upper castes have misinterpreted caste system over the years. The Bench quipped, <b>"You have created the problem. It is up to you (Centre) to find the solution." The senior advocate stated that the number of castes in the list have risen from 1,373 in 1950 to 5,013 by July 2006.</b>
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