SC deletes para in verdict on quota in bank promotions

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to delete a portion of its January 2015 verdict wherein it held that benefits of reservation could be extended to SC/ST employees in promotion to officers grade in banks.

In the verdict, the apex court had allowed appeal against a Madras High Court order, which had concluded that 1997 office memorandum provided for such a reservation in favour of SC/ST employees.

However, as the Centre pointed out an error apparent in the judgment wherein it was observed that reservation is provided in promotion by selection quota those posts which carry an ultimate salary of less than Rs 5,700, the court directed for deletion of the paragraph.

With regard to the main issue of granting SC/ST employees reservation in promotion to the officers grade in banks, the apex court once again left it for the Union government and Central bank authorities to consider their plea.

“It would be open to the concerned authority, namely, the state and the banks to consider whether their demand is justified and it is feasible to provide reservation to SC/ST category persons in the matter of promotion in the officers’ category and if so, up to which scale/level,” a bench of Justices J Chelameswar and A K Sikri said.

The bench made its observation while allowing review petitions made by the Union government as well as the Central Bank of India SC/ST Employees Welfare Association and others against its judgment of January 9, 2015.