In a major policy decision aimed at ensuring equitable political representation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC), Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has approved the constitution of a dedicated state commission.
The commission will conduct an empirical evaluation of the population, political representation, and degree of political backwardness of SEBC communities across both rural (Panchayati Raj Institutions) and urban local self-government bodies (Municipalities and ULBs) in Odisha.
The formal notification was issued by the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Department on Wednesday.
The newly formed commission will be chaired by retired Odisha High Court Judge Justice Pramath Patnaik.
The panel includes:
- Justice Pramath Patnaik (Retd.): Chairman
- Bijay Kumar Prusty (Retd. IAS): Member
- Sujata Mishra (Special Secretary, ST & SC Development, Minorities & Backward Classes Welfare Dept.): Member Secretary
The commission has been tasked with undertaking a comprehensive assessment of SEBC demographics and political participation across the state’s grassroots governance structures. Key responsibilities include:
- Demographic Mapping: Calculating the population ratio of SEBC citizens relative to the total population in each local self-government jurisdiction (rural panchayats and urban local bodies).
- Representation Analysis: Examining the actual political participation and elected representation of SEBCs within local authorities.
- Empirical Assessment of Backwardness: Analyzing the nature and implications of political backwardness experienced by these communities to ensure tailored policymaking and constitutional safeguards.
By evaluating these parameters, the state government aims to establish a structured, data-driven framework to safeguard the rights and ensure proportional representation of SEBC communities in local governance tiers.
This initiative follows a series of welfare measures undertaken by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for the SEBC community. The state government recently introduced an 11.25% reservation for SEBC students in professional higher education institutions, including medical and engineering colleges across Odisha.
