SC order for reservations in promotions also applicable for states, says Ram Vilas Paswan

The Supreme Court's nod to the Centre for resuming reservation in promotion will be applicable to jobs in the Union government as well as states, Cabinet Minister Ram Vilas Paswan told reporters following a high-level meeting on Wednesday.

"There was some confusion following queries as to whether the court's direction will be applicable only to central government jobs. There is no confusion now. The Centre as well as states will start promoting employees," Paswan said. The Department of Personnel and Training will soon issue a directive in this regard, he said. A group of ministers, which include Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot and Paswan, among others met earlier in the day to discuss the issue, he said.

The government has formed the group to hold consultations over issues related to Dalit and tribal populations, he said. Orders of different high courts had resulted in halting reservation for scheduled castes and tribes in promotion in government jobs and the Centre had recently moved the Supreme Court. While hearing the matter, the court allowed it to go ahead with providing reservation in promotion before a final verdict is delivered.

Paswan also said that the government was ready with an ordinance to restore to the original provisions of a law on cases of atrocities against Dalits and tribals but will wait for the apex court's final decision on its review plea. A Supreme Court order, almost all major political parties have said, has diluted the law. The government has filed a review plea in the court.