State govt to take Ordinance route on SC/ST promotions

The state Cabinet on Monday decided to take the ordinance route to circumvent a recent Supreme Court order striking down the consequential seniority in promotions awarded to SC/ST employees.

The Supreme Court had set August 9 as the deadline to implement its order, which states that all consequential promotions given to the SC/STs under the provisions of the Karnataka Determination of Seniority of the Government Servants Promoted on the Basis of Reservation (To the Posts in the Civil Services of the State) Act, 2002 will be null and void.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said suitable amendment will be brought to the section 5 of the Act to ensure justice is rendered to the employees.

Around 3,000 SC&ST employees working in 63 government departments would have faced demotions if the order was implemented. Karnataka introduced reservation in promotions for the SC/ST employees in April 1978. Around 100 supernumerary posts will be created to provide promotions to non-SC/ST employees, he added.

Jayachandra said the ordinance will be sent to Governor Vajubhai Vala on Tuesday with a request that it be promulgated. A revision petition filed by the state government challenging the order is also pending before the Supreme Court, he added.

 

“We are also working on an e-commerce platform, which will be ready in another 15 days,” MSIL managing director G C Prakash said.

The Cabinet gave its administrative approval for establishing a foot and mouth disease vaccine production unit on a 115-acre plot at Yelahanka in Bengaluru at a cost of Rs 100 crore.The unit will be established by the Bengaluru-based Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals.