SP may stall Constitution amendment bill in RS

While the government is preparing to introduce the Constitution amendment bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday for reservation in promotions to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in government jobs, there is speculation whether the Samajwadi Party will allow it to be passed.

The SP, a friendly party of the ruling UPA coalition, has strongly opposed the proposed changes and is said to be planning to oppose the bill at the introduction stage in the House.

If the House is not in order, there is no way in which it will pass the bill which seeks changes in Article 16(4) A of the Constitution. This means it has to be supported by a two-thirds majority of members of that House and half of the total number of members in Parliament present during voting. Besides, this has to be ratified by the legislatures of at least one-half of the states. While the Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party are in favour of it, the SP is opposed while the BJP is so far ambivalent although its spokesman Muktar Abbas Naqvi said the party is in favour of it but may move some amendments. 

There is a possibility that the party may demand the bill be sent to Parliamentary standing committee.