Refer Report
The British realized that if they want to rule India, it is necessary to divide the Indians. That is why they started to follow the strategy of ‘divide and rule’. Accordingly, he increased the differences between Hindus and Muslims. The Morley Minto Reforms in 1909 distributed constituencies on a communal basis. It was further increased in the year 1919. Its next phase was the Round Table Conferences of the 1930s. After it was announced in these conferences that there would be some separate constituencies for Scheduled Castes as well, Mahatma Gandhi opposed it as an attempt to further divide Indians. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar supported it as part of representation and social justice. Finally, it was agreed that there should be reserved constituencies instead of separate constituencies. Accordingly, the Scheduled Castes got a large number of reserved constituencies in the provincial and central legislatures. This was a great historical event. A dialogue was formed from this, according to which all should get representation.
The Advisory Committee on Minorities in the Constituent Assembly submitted its report in 1947. Accordingly, it was raised that some constituencies should be reserved for Scheduled Castes, Tribes and Muslims. Not only this, it was suggested that some seats in Bombay and Madras provinces should be reserved for Christians as well. Later in 1949, this advisory committee chaired by Sardar Patel suggested that there should be no such reserved seats for minorities. Around that time, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar also suggested an amendment confirming the same suggestion. Many people including Jawaharlal Nehru, Rohini Kumar Chaudhary supported Ambedkar. Muslims and Christians were accordingly excluded. However, it was included in the Constitution that there would be reserved constituencies for Scheduled Castes/Tribes and the principle was accepted that there would be reserved constituencies for Scheduled Castes/Tribes in the Lok Sabha under Article 330 of the Sixteenth Part of the Constitution and in the State Assemblies under Article 332.
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Even though Babasaheb Ambedkar had said that this political reservation would be for 10 years, it was also added that this is not a sufficient period. It was also discussed that the change in this period should be done through constitutional amendment. Accordingly, in the year 1959, the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution changed Article 334 to ‘twenty years’ instead of ten years. Since then several constitutional amendments have retained this reservation and its duration has continued to increase. Therefore, even today, out of 543 constituencies in the Lok Sabha, 84 constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 47 constituencies are reserved for Scheduled Tribes. This ratio is determined according to their population. This policy of reservation has naturally increased the proportion of people represented in the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes; But the question of whether it is a fundamental representation is still unanswered. The answer to these questions is not yes or no. It is expected to be thoroughly researched and thoroughly discussed in accordance with these constitutional provisions. It can strengthen the concept of social justice. Political representation of Scheduled Castes and Tribes will make sense if the constitutional provisions grow beyond caste mentality, otherwise it will only be used as a political tool. Efforts from all sides are needed to bring more depth to democracy through this political representation.
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Source: Marathi