Members of the SC and ST community will enjoy the benefit of reservation in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies for another 10 years, though the Government decided not to extend the same existing privilege to the Anglo-Indian community.

The Lok Sabha passed a Constitution amendment bill in on Tuesday. The Opposition slammed the Government for not extending the benefit to the Anglo-India community.

Replying to the concerns of the MPs, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said as per the correct definition and latest Census, as of now, there are only 296 members of the Anglo-Indian community, with a maximum of 124 in Kerala.

However, he said the doors are not shut and the matter to grant Anglo-Indians nomination would be considered later.

The reservation for SCs, STs and Anglo-Indians given for the past 70 years in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies was due to end on January 25, 2020. The reservation for Anglo-Indians in the form of “nomination” is set to expire on January 25 next year as the Bill does not extend the facility to the community. The Bill was passed with 352 members voting in favour and none against it. Since it was a Constitution Amendment Bill, the voting took place through division. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House when members voted for the measure.

Though Congress and TMC MPs said there are lakhs of Anglo-Indian members living in India, BJP MPs pointed out that those who have paternal lineage of British people who lived here before Independence are only come under this category. Hibi Eden (Cong) claimed that Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was “misleading” the House that the country was left with 296 Anglo Indians and demanded that the reservation for them should continue. “In my constituency (Ernakulam) there are 20,000 people of this community (Anglo Indian),” he said, adding that the entire community contributed a lot to the progress of the country.

There are 84 members from the Scheduled Caste and 47 from the Scheduled Tribe communities in Parliament. In State assemblies across India, there are 614 SC members and 554 ST members. “Although the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes have made considerable progress in the last 70 years, the reasons which weighed with the Constituent Assembly in making provisions with regard to the aforesaid reservation of seats have not yet ceased to exist,” said the statement of objects of the Bill.