NCBC bill to be tabled in winter session

NEW DELHI: The government plans to reintroduce the bill to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes ( NCBC) in the Lok Sabha in the upcoming winter session of Parliament after the proposal was stalled in the Rajya Sabha during the last session. The winter session is expected to begin from December 15.

“The government is fully committed to ensure equity and social justice to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and has decided to take up the bill in the impending Parliament session so that the NCBC is recognised as a constitutional body with full powers to safeguard the rights and interests of OBCs,” said a government official, who did not wish to be identified.

A bill to grant constitutional status to the NCBC, on a par with the National Commissions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, was passed in the Lok Sabha in the last session.

In the Rajya Sabha, while the proposal was generally supported and most members welcomed the grant of constitutional status to the NCBC, the proposed constitutional amendment bill was passed with certain amendments. One amendment sought to increase the number of members of the proposed commission from three to five, with reservation for a member from a minority community and another for women.