OneWorld.net (U.S.)

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet has cleared the bill to reserve 27 per cent seats for other backward classes in all institutions of higher and technical education managed or aided by the central government. The bill will be introduced in the monsoon session of Parliament, which ends on Friday.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the Cabinet on Monday evening. The meeting lasted two hours. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi declined to specify whether the quotas will be implemented in a staggered manner or at one stroke as demanded by the DMK and the PMK, both members of the UPA.

He said the government was keeping its promise to introduce the bill, made after last year’s constitutional amendment. “The HRD ministry will bring the bill before August 25,” he said.

A source said the bill allows for the reservation to be implemented in a phased manner. The government was able to go ahead with the bill despite opposition from its Southern allies, thanks to the assistance of the CPI(M), RJD president and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad, and Lok Janashakti Party chief and Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

Source: DNAINDIA.COM