The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a notice to the Haryana government and the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) in response to a petition seeking a review of reservations provided to various castes. The Snehanchal Charitable Trust filed the petition, emphasizing that as per NCBC guidelines and the Supreme Court’s rulings in the Indira Sahni and Ram Singh cases, reservations should undergo a review every 10 years. Despite this, no review has taken place to date.
The petition highlighted the political use of reservations in Indian politics since the inclusion of the reservation provision in the constitution after independence. While the number of castes benefiting from reservation for vote banks has increased, no caste has been excluded from its purview. The petitioner stated that the Mandal Commission’s report on reservations in Haryana, adopted in 1995, recommended a review every 20 years. However, as of 2017, 37 years have passed without any attempt at a review.
The petitioner argued that the NCBC and the Supreme Court, in the context of the Indira Sahni case, have clearly outlined the process for collecting data and conducting reviews for reservation systems. However, due to the lack of initiative by political parties, these guidelines have not been implemented. The petitioner also mentioned the formation of the Kamboj Commission in 1993 and the Gurnam Singh Commission in 1999, both addressing the inclusion of certain castes in the backward class category.
The High Court questioned the petitioner about potential actions in this regard. The petitioner suggested that a fresh assessment of data should be conducted to determine which castes still require reservation benefits and which can be excluded. This process should be repeated every 10 years, according to the petitioner. Additionally, the petitioner highlighted that since 1951, only a limited number of castes have been included in the reservation benefits, and none have been excluded to date. The High Court urged a new approach, emphasizing the need for periodic reviews to ensure the relevance of reservations.