Quota: SC wants decision on Comm recommendations

New Delhi, July 19: The Supreme Court today directed the Central Government to take a final decision within eight weeks on the recommmendations of Justice R N Mishra committee recommending that benefits of SC/ST reservations should also be extended to dalits belonging to all religions, including dalit christians at par with the SCs, including Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists.

A counsel for the 'Petitioner Organisation Centre For Public Interest Litigation' contended before the bench comprising Chief Justise K G Balakrishnan, Justices R V Raveendran and Dalveer Bhandari that the UPA government was deliberately delaying the decision on the recommendations of Rangnath Mishra committee submitted to the government in May 2007.

Senior counsel Shanti Bhushan also contended before the court that only the Christain dalits are being denied the benefits SC reservation which is discriminatory and violative of Article 14 of the constitution.

After hearing the counsel and the Additional Solicitor- General appearing for the centre issued the directions when it was brought to the courts' notice that earlier Congress and National Front government had already introduced a bill in parliament for the implementation of the long standing demands of Christians.

UNI