In a significant step towards ensuring equitable representation of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs) in local self-government institutions, the Government of Odisha has constituted a dedicated Commission under the chairmanship of Justice Pramath Patnaik (Retd.), in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court of India.
The Commission has been entrusted with the responsibility of examining the representation of SEBCs in local bodies and assessing the need for proportionate reservation to ensure their effective participation in grassroots democratic institutions. Bijay Kumar Prusty, Retd. IAS, has been appointed as a Member of the Commission, while Soojata Misra, OAS (SS), Special Secretary to Govt, ST & SC Development, M&BCW Department, has been appointed as its Member Secretary.
The Commission has commenced its functioning from its office located within the premises of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI), CRPF Square, Bhubaneswar. Since its constitution, the Commission has held several meetings to deliberate on various issues relating to SEBC representation and finalise the methodology for undertaking the assessment.
During its deliberations, the Commission emphasised the need to obtain comprehensive information and district-wise data to ascertain the actual representation of SEBCs in local self-government institutions. Accordingly, it was decided to collect data on SEBC members elected under the Unreserved (UR) category in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the State. The district-wise data will enable the Commission to undertake an evidence-based assessment of the actual political representation of SEBCs in local bodies across Odisha and facilitate further examination of the matter in accordance with the applicable constitutional and legal provisions. For official communication and submission of relevant information, the Commission can be contacted through its dedicated email ID: sebccommission@gmail.com.
The Commission has further decided to intimate the ST & SC Development, M&BCW Department, as the Nodal Department, to coordinate with all District Collectors and ensure collection and submission of the requisite information in the approved formats. The Department has been requested to furnish the consolidated data to the Commission at the earliest, preferably within 45 days, to facilitate timely examination and further action by the Commission.
B. Parameswaran, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary to Government, ST & SC Development, M&BCW Department; Arindam Dakua, IAS, Director, Municipal Administration, Housing & Urban Development Department; Surya Narayan Dash, IAS, Additional Secretary, Panchayati Raj & Drinking Water Department; and Indramani Nayak, IAS, Director, Panchayati Raj Department, attended the meeting along with other concerned officials.
