Though the Central Government and various State Governments have already implemented a 10% reservation, the State Government in Kerala has adopted a total slowdown policy. The state government had submitted two proposals before the commission appointed in March to study and submit its report on setting the standards of economic backwardness in Kerala. however, the committee has deemed the process of implementing the reservation as unfair. They have alleged that the Christians had no representation in this Commission. Even in the sittings of the Commission, Christians were not given enough opportunities to present their problems.
PSC notifications have been released this month for a number of posts including the Kerala Administrative Service (KAS), LD Clark and Assistant Professor. But none of these appointments have been applied to finance. Prolonging the proceedings on financial reservations and issuing PSC notifications to key posts without applying the financial reservation is an injustice to the millions of poor people in the non-reserved sections. The committee, therefore, urged the State Government to immediately issue an amendment to the existing notification including KAS and LDC with a 10% financial reservation.
If the state government has delayed setting the standards for the economic backwardness, the government should immediately implement the 10% economic reservation by adopting the central notification. The state government’s stance against the non-implementation of the constitutionally sanctioned 10% Economic Reservation (EWS), even in the case of caste reservation in two or three streams of KAS, is stark discrimination against non-reserved groups.
Mar Joseph Perunthottam, Metropolitan of Changanassery, presided over the meeting. Mar Joseph Aralakkal, the Diocese of Kanjirappally, Mar George Rajendran, Takkala Diocese, Mar Thorak Tharayil, Mar Jacob Murikan, Vicar Generals of these dioceses and other clergy were also present at the meeting.
