Amid continuing Opposition protests over the government’s move to set up a new body for socially and educationally backward classes with constitutional status and judicial powers, the government is set to bring in Lok Sabha Wednesday a bill to set it up. The bill will give the National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NCSEBC) — it will replace the National Commission for Backward Classes — powers equivalent to those of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. Once the bill becomes an Act, the states will not be able to add or delete castes from the backward classes list without Parliament’s consent. The decision is seen as a move to further consolidate the backward communities behind the BJP. On Monday and Tuesday, Rajya Sabha witnessed repeated adjournments with the Opposition protesting the delay in the filling vacancies in commissions for SCs, STs, backward classes and minorities.

Source: Indian Express March 28, 2017 20:55 UTC