The decision of Supreme Court (SC) on reservation in promotions on a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Uttarakhand Government and subsequent furore generated has drawn a deep schism in the Government employees. There are about three lakh employees working in Government services, corporations and authorities in the state. The employees have as many as 120 associations and seven federations.
The decision of SC that the reservation in promotion is not a fundamental right and State Governments are not bound to provide reservation in the promotions has resulted in unprecedented polarisation of the employees on caste lines. The secretariat association of employees is on the brink of a division with the members of the SC and ST asking its leaders not to take partisan position and the association issuing notices to many members.
The president of the Rajya Karmchari Sanyukt Parishad, Thakur Prahlad Singh said that the State Government should implement the order of SC. He said that seniority and merit should not be overlooked in the promotions and claimed that once the order is implemented and the ban on promotions lifted, there would be no dispute among the employees.
The president of Uttarakhand SC, ST employees Federation, Karam Ram said that the SC ST employees are fighting for their rights. He said that the office bearers of the secretariat association are working in a partisan manner.
The SC on February 7 gave its historical verdict on reservation in promotions and opined that the states are not bound to provide reservation in promotions.
The Uttarakhand Government had filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the SC against the Uttarakhand High Court (HC) order in Gyanchand Vs state case.
This order has now become point of contention between the employees of SC ST and General, OBC castes.