Constitutional status to OBC panel gets Lok Sabha okay again

NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed an amendment Bill that conferred constitutional status to the Other Backward Classes (OBC) Commission.

The Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill, which had been returned to the Lower House by the Rajya Sabha last year with changes, has been passed to grant National Commission on Backward Classes constitutional status at par with National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST). The Bill would now be sent to Rajya Sabha for consideration and passing.

The government has reiterated Clause (3) which gives a larger legislative framework for the Commission, which was done away by the Rajya Sabha. Last year, the government was left red-faced when its Bill was defeated in the Upper House and the Opposition managed to push through its amendments and get a modified Bill passed.


This was then sent to the Lok Sabha. On Wednesday, social justice and empowerment minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot introduced a reworked Bill reverting to Clause (3) but also incorporating two amendments which the Biju Janata Dal had sought. Changes BJD wanted were to include a woman member in the commission and allow state governments to make related policy decision without consulting the commission.

The Bill had been passed by Lok Sabha earlier in April 2017. It was referred to a Select Committee, which submitted its report in July 2017. Rajya Sabha had passed the Bill with a key amendment and returned it to Lok Sabha on August 1, 2017.