HT Bureau
DIPHU, June 19: The Thangsing Timung faction of Karbi Students Association (KSA) has called upon the state government to review its decision of revoking the consequential seniority benefit for ST and SC Group-A officers in promotions.
During a press conference held at the KSA central executive committee office in Rongthe-ang, the KSA president, Timung, stated, “The 85th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2001 provides consequential seniority to SCs and STs in Group-A government officer promotions. As per this provision, Group-A officers from the ST and SC communities have been enjoying the benefits of promotion based on seniority. However, a sudden cabinet decision was made by the Assam government to remove the consequential seniority for ST and SC Group-A officers in promotions.”
Timung raised a pertinent question, stating, “If the provision already exists in the constitution, by what authority can the Assam government eliminate it? This is a direct attack on the ST and SC communities.”
The KSA president also mentioned that on June 14, the KSA, along with the Dimasa Students Union and Anusuchit Yuva Chatra Parishad, jointly submitted a memorandum to the chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes and the Union law minister, urging them to review the government’s policy on reservation for ST promotions with consequential seniority in Group-A services under state (OM No.ABP.81/2022/58 dated 18-01-2023 of Personnel (B) department, Government of Assam).
The KSA appealed to chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to reconsider the matter by discussing it again with all members of the cabinet.
