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Congress seeks Assembly session on quota order

BHUBANESWAR: A day after Supreme Court directed to cap reservations at 50 per cent in the State Government services, Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Saturday demanded that a special session of Orissa Legislative Assembly be convened to pass a unanimous resolution against the order.

Addressing a press conference here, senior Congress leader Srikant Jena said the State Government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had perhaps not pursued the case sincerely. Had the State Government presented facts about State’s demographic as well as socio-economic status properly, the situation would not have been arisen, Mr. Jena said.

"A special session of the Assembly should be convened and let there be unanimous resolution for raising the issue in Parliament. It will make way for amendment in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution," Mr. Jena said.

Despite the fact that only one per cent of population of Tamil Nadu were tribals and 18 per cent of Scheduled Castes, the State was enjoying reservation 69 per cent, he said it happened because the State Government was determined to go for reservation.

The senior Congress leader said Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar came under special State category as stated in the Constitution.

These States should have OBC development departments to look after the vast population.

If the State Government failed to take initiative to call a special session of Assembly for passing an unanimous resolution, the State Congress would launch mass movements across the State to expose the Naveen Patnaik government, Mr. Jena said.

Senior Congress legislator Umesh Swain also criticised the State Government for its inept handling of the issue ever since Orissa High Court started hearing the matter.

"The High Court delivered its verdict to cap reservation at 50 per cent in Harapriya Das Versus state of Orissa case on April 17. Though the State Government under public pressure decided to go to apex court later in reality the Naveen Patnaik Government had adopted a resolution on March 19 capping the reservation," Mr. Swain said.

A Bench of Justice A.K. Mathur and Justice Dalveer Bhandari on Friday ruled that the total reservation in the State Government services for all communities, including Scheduled Castes and Schedules Tribes, cannot exceed 50 per cent.

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