DMK's P Wilson urges Rijiju for constitutional amendment enabling consequential seniority for Other Backward Class in promotional posts
Oct 29, 2022
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], October 29 : Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP P Wilson wrote to Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju to enact a constitutional amendment amending Article 16 to enable consequential seniority for the Other Backward Class communities in promotional posts.
He urged the law minister to insert provisions similar to Article 16 (4A) and (4B) and said that "Otherwise attaining complete social justice would remain a distant dream."
"Therefore, I request for your good self to delve into the issue and take corrective steps and enact a constitutional amendment by amending Article 16 and inserting provisions similar to Article 16 (4A) and (4B) and enable reservations with consequential seniority for the Other Backward caste communities in promotional posts," said Wilson in the letter addressed to the law minister.
"Otherwise attaining complete social justice would remain a distant dream," he added.
Due to such absence of a Constitutional mandate, the real oppressed and downtrodden are not brought into the mainstream till today. Mere entry into service is not sufficient. Only when these communities are considered in the promotional posts, real substantive equality is achieved, he further added.
"It's a fact that historical injustice is still meted out by other backward communities and their due share in jobs in the higher post are denied," wrote Wilson.
They're not adequately represented till today. The reason for States not granting reservations in promotional posts is due to the fact that similar constitutional enabling provisions as found in Art 16(4)(A) or Art 16(4) (B) available for Schedule castes and Schedule Tribes are not available for OBC communities, he further wrote.
"At this juncture, I wish to propose that if Art 16 of the Constitution of India is amended to include an enabling provision similar to Article 16(4A) and 16(4B and grant reservations in promotional posts with consequential seniority, these hurdles could be easily overcome. Having
reservations in promotions for the OBC candidates would result in true social justice as it would ensure adequate representation of the OBCs in higher offices of the administration," he added.
The letter further stated that a truly representative administration could be achieved only when there is an immediate introspection and correctional steps are undertaken.
