Nagesh Bhushan In the feverish atmosphere of the November 2023 elections, the "Kamareddy Declaration" was more than just a policy plank; it was a thunderous pledge by the Congress party to deliver 42% reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) in Telangana. For a majority population that has long been marginalized in the corridors of power, this was a beacon of restorative justice. Yet, months later, that campaign-trail energy has cooled into a sterile silence. The promise now sits in a state of constitutional suspended animation, caught between the gears of legislative procedure and judicial precedent. Why does a seemingly simple democratic promise become a legal labyrinth once the ballots are counted? To understand this, we must look through the lens of the BC Intellectuals Forum and its chairman, retired IAS officer T. Chiranjeevulu, whose analysis reveals that the path to 42% reservation is blocked not just by law, but by a lack of genuine political resolve. 1. The "...
By T. Chiranjeevulu Chairman, BC Intellectuals Forum, Retired IAS Officer . Is this another political attempt to deceive Backward Classes (BCs) again?In India's democratic system, Parliament is the most crucial institution. Its primary responsibility is to enact laws necessary for the country. Bills are introduced in Parliament in two ways: one is a Government Bill introduced by the government, and the other is a Private Member Bill introduced by members who are not in the Cabinet. According to Article 107 of the Indian Constitution, any member of Parliament has the right to introduce a bill. However, if we examine parliamentary history, Private Member Bills becoming laws is extremely rare. Since independence, only 14 Private Member Bills have become laws so far. The last one, in 1970, was a bill that expanded the criminal jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, which received approval. After that, for nearly five decades, thousands of Private Member Bills have been introduced in Parli...