The Centre on Wednesday announced that following the Supreme Court’s nod to resume reservation in promotions it will now be applicable to jobs in the Union Government as well as States.
“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,” Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said after a high-level meeting in this regard.
Incidentally, the Centre's remarks have come even as the Bihar government has moved the Supreme Court seeking clarity on whether States can implement the reservation system in promotions or not.
Paswan said the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) will soon issue a directive in this regard. The government formed a group of ministers to hold consultations over issues related to Dalit and tribal populations.
The group of ministers, which include Home Minister Rajnath Singh, law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot and Paswan, met to discuss the issue.
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.