Chhattisgarh plans special Assembly session on reservation for tribals

RAIPUR:  Chhattisgarh Governor Anusuiya Uike on Wednesday signed the proposal to convene the state Assembly session on December 1 and 2. The session will deliberate on the issue of tribal quota, which has raised the political heat in the state after the high court had struck down the 58 per cent reservation in educational institutions and jobs as and termed it “unconstitutional”.

With the court order, the reservation for tribals has come down from 32 per cent to 20 per cent and for the SCs the percentage has gone up from 13 per cent to 16 per cent while 14 per cent remaining for the OBCs.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had earlier in the day revealed on his twitter handle the state government’s plan for a special session of the House and urged the Speaker Charandas Mahant for a two day session on December 1-2. The governor, using the power under Article 174 of the Constitution, approved the recommendation to call the Assembly session.

Earlier this month, Uike had written to the CM to convene a session of the Assembly and pass a bill or seek the resolution of the contentious reservation problem through an ordinance if possible. She said 
that there is resentment brewing among the tribal communities and the law and order situation can arise.
The politics on the tribal reservation issue has gathered steam after the court’s order ahead of the Assembly elections due next year. On Wednesday, the  opposition BJP staged ‘chakka jam’ at different places in the state demanding the restoration of the 32 per cent reservation of the ST.

Baghel blamed the previous BJP regime for the present impasse faced in the reservation of tribals. “We are committed to secure the rights of the ST and their due quota. The government will also put across the state’s perspective in the Supreme Court in the context of 58 per cent reservation,” said the CM. 

Two-day session on December 1 and 2
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had earlier in the day revealed on his twitter handle the state government’s plan for a special session of the House and urged the Speaker Charandas Mahant for a two day session on December 1-2