Bhopal
In Madhya Pradesh, on the one hand, preparations have started to promote officers and employees, on the other hand, the sword of demotion is hanging on thousands of employees of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). These are the employees who were promoted under the reservation rule in the 2002 promotion. However, the High Court revoked the rule in April 2016, after which questions were raised on the validity of these promotions. The government challenged the decision in the Supreme Court, where there are instructions to maintain the status quo. But until the final decision, there is a threat to the design of SC-ST employees.
History of reservation in promotion
In 2002, the then Digvijay Singh government made rules to give reservation in promotion to SC-ST class employees. On the basis of these rules, many employees were promoted by 2016. This greatly benefited the SC-ST officers and employees, they continued to reach high positions. On the other hand, OBCs and unreserved class employees, who were senior, were left behind in promotion. The case reached the High Court against this inequality, where the rule was canceled after considering all the facts. The decision of the High Court created a situation of demonstration of these employees, which the government went to the Supreme Court to stop.
Supreme court stance
The Supreme Court has ordered to maintain the status quo on the High Court’s decision. This means that the employees who received promotion under the 2002 rule are still safe, but it will depend on the final decision of the Supreme Court. In the new promotions given in departments like law and legislative, it is clearly written that they will remain under the decision of the Supreme Court. In such a situation, there is a shadow of uncertainty on SC-ST employees. If the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the High Court, these employees may have to be demolished.
Demand for SPX: Attention to the interests of all classes
KPS Tomar, president of the general, backward and minority class officer staff institution (SPX), said that the 2002 rule led to injustice to unreserved and OBC class employees.
He argues that SC-ST employees reached unreserved posts on merit basis and also achieved reserved posts, which gave him a double benefit.
Tomar, citing the Nagraj case of the Supreme Court, said that representation and efficiency in promotion should be based on. He says that promotion has been implemented on the basis of seniority by abolishing reservation in states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Bihar. The same should happen in Madhya Pradesh.
Government’s new strategy
The government is preparing to make new rules to find a way of promotion, but experts believe that if the formula of 36% SC-ST and 64% unreserved posts was brought again, it will further increase the dispute.
SPX and staff organizations are demanding that the interests of all classes be taken into consideration. If the government does not bring balance in promotion, this issue can be more complex. Employees want the basis of promotion to be seniority and demonstration, not only reservation.
