JD(U) asks PM to call all party meet on SC order on IXth Schedule

New Delhi, Jan 23 (UNI) The Janata Dal (United) today criticised the Supreme Court order that the laws in the IXth Schedule of the Constitution were open to judicial review, terming it "divisive" and demanded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh call an all party meet on the issue.

Janata Dal(U) president Sharad Yadav demanded that the government should devise a way out so that 284 acts placed in the IXth schedule, most of which are related to the protection of interests of weaker sections like land reforms and 69 per cent reservation in Tamil Nadu, were not open to Judicial review.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Yadav said, ''It is unfortunate that your government has not taken due note of the Supreme Court judgement on IXth Schedule of the Constitution.

That judgement has dealt a deathblow to the schedule and exposed our nation to the danger of split,'' he said adding that the Tamil Nadu Assembly had sought rewriting of the Constitution.

Stating that it was now a certainity that the Reservation Act of Tamil Nadu providing 69 per cent reservation to SC, ST and OBCs will be reviewed by the judiciary and could be set aside, he said, ''It will make the situation explosive for the country and it will be very difficult to keep the country united.'' ''I have high respect for the judiciary and the judges but I am of firm opinion that all patriotic people of India must condemn the judgement on IXth schedule, because that is working against the process of the making of India,'' he said.

''I do not belittle the right of judiciary for review of any act of decision of the government, but that has to be done in the framework of the Constitution. Judges cannot and must not take the place of Members of Parliament and judiciary cannot replace the Parliament,'' he said.

Charging the Supreme Court of having crossed its boundary by seeking a report of the Standing Committee of Parliament and in its decision on the creamy layer among SC/STs, Mr Yadav said demands for new Constitution and rewriting it would arise from many quarters if the government does not take any step to prevent the Apex Court's decision on the IXth Schedule from being implemented.

UNI