Former MP flays government for not constituting Backward Classes Commission in U.T.

Former Member of Parliament and president of Puducherry Maanila Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam M. Ramadass criticised the present and past governments in the Union Territory for not constituting the State Level Backward Classes Commission despite the High Court of Madras issuing a directive on the issue two years ago.

In a statement, he said the Commission was established in the Union Territory in 1998 in pursuance of Article 16 and 340 of the Constitution of India. The Commission had become non-functional in the Union Territory from 2018 due to the failure of the government in appointing a Chairman and members for the panel. The Commission has remained non-functional for almost seven and a half years in the territory due to the delay in appointment, he said. 

When the Karaikal fishermen, classified as Extremely Backward Classes in the Union Territory, approached the High Court demanding their inclusion under Most Backward Classes category, the Court opined that the issue could be handled by the Commission itself. After the petitioner brought to the knowledge of the court that the Commission was non-functional in the Union Territory, the Judge directed the government to “form the Commission as quickly as possible.”

“The Court gave the order directing the government to constitute the Commission on February 2, 2023 and the order was received by the Chief Secretary on April 2, 2023. As of today, nearly 32 months have passed since the court issued the directive, but the government of the day has not respected the order by forming the Commission. This inaction of the government tantamounts to Contempt of Court,” the statement said. 

Mr. Ramadass said public welfare suffers a great deal when several social questions of the people remain unresolved in the face of the non-functionality of the Commission. “Several times the government was reminded of the Constitutional and legal imperative on forming the Commission. If this government fails to respect the court order and reconstitute the Commission within ten days, a contempt of court case will be filed against the government in the interest of welfare of the people,“ the economist turned politician said.