The State Government on Wednesday faced a piquant situation in the Assembly during the introduction stage of the Odisha Reservation of Vacancies (ORV) in Posts and Services for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Amendment Bill, 2013 as irrespective of party affiliations, SC and ST MlAs opposed the provisions of the Bill.
While the opposition Congress members forced a division in the introduction stage of the Bill, the Treasury Bench members though voted in support of it to toe the Government line, favoured referring the Bill to the Select Committee for examination.
Despite the defeat in the division over the Bill, exploiting the sentiments of the Treasury Bench members, the opposition Congress members staged a dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the premises of the Assembly demanding the withdrawal of the ORV Amendment Bill.
Before the introduction of the ORV Amendment Bill, the Opposition tribal MlAs Chakradhar Paika and his colleagues Rama Chandra Kadam, Anup Sai and Dr Prafulla Majhi opposed the introduction of the legislation by invoking the
Rule 67 of the rules of procedure and conduct of business in the House. Dubbing the Bill as anti-SC and ST community, they urged the Government to withdraw the Bill for a re-look.
They regretted that the provisions of the Bill were against the interest of the SC and ST community and Minister Himrika had gone back from the promises made in the House in this regard.
They said that in the last session, the Himrika had assured the House that provisions for reservation for the SCs and STs would be made in the contractual appointment.
But the Bill listed for introduction did not mention about the provision. The lack of reservation in contractual jobs would deny the SCs and STs to get any regular job in future, they apprehended.
Similarly, they said that the Government while formulating the legislation had ignored the direction of the Supreme Court in 2006 on three criteria - reservation on backwardness, jobs proportionate to the SC and ST population and efficiency.
Besides, they demanded the abolition of the existing Catch-Up policy which is instrumental in reversion of the promoted SC and ST employees in Government jobs.
They demanded withdrawal of the current Bill and reintroduction of the Bill after incorporating all the points. The senior Treasury Bench members including Bishnu Charan Das and Padmanav Behera sharing the concern of the Opposition members also took exception to the Bill and urged the Government to refer the bill to the Select Committee for further examination and recommendation.
A voting was conducted on the issue as to whether the Bill would be introduced for consideration and passing in the House. However, despite the opposition, the Treasury Bench members voted in support of the Bill to save the Government.
While 77 Treasury Bench members voted in support of introduction of the Bill, 23 members voted against it.
Though the Bill was introduced taking the leave of the House, the opposition members later sat on a dharana near the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the Assembly premises demanding the scraping
of the Bill.