Need for reservation in judiciary: Union Minister

CHENNAI: Minister of State for Commerce and Industry E M Sudarsana Natchiappan today came out in support of reservation for SC, ST, OBC and women in higher judiciary.

"Even Chief Justice of India Justice P Sathasivam has said (favoured it). In High Court and Supreme Court, a reservation policy should be applied," he said.

"If it cannot be brought through a reservation policy, it should be brought in other ways. It is important to bring SC, ST, OBC and women be brought under this," he told PTI after delivering the K R Narayanan Memorial Lecture organised by the Ambedkar Academy here.

While judges from these communities were more in Tamil Nadu, "Other states have not done so," he said.

"There is no reservation in judiciary so far, except for subordinate judiciary services. It is not in High Courts. We have earlier said in reports that it should be implemented. The Chief Justice of India has also said. So, it has to be implemented," the Congress leader said.

Natchiappan was also the chairman of a Parliamentary Committee, which had earlier recommended reservation for Supreme Court and High Court judges.

Contending that the recommendation was within the provisions of the Constitution, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice in its report said the Constitution "has to be read and interpreted harmoniously and holistically" and Articles 124 and 247 have to be read with Articles 14 and 15(4).

In his lecture, Natchiappan announced a grant of Rs five lakh for Dr Ambedkar Academy run by the People's Educational Trust.