The Uttarakhand Assembly ratified the 126th amendment Bill-2019 of the Constitution in a special session on Tuesday. The amendment would pave the way for extending reservations for the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies of the States for a period of further 10 years.

Tabling the bill, the officiating parliamentary affairs minister Madan Kaushik said that that although SC and STs have made considerable progress in last 70 years, the reasons which weighed with the constituent assembly in making provisions with regard to the aforesaid reservation of seats have not ceased to exit.

However during the debate on the bill, the government was left red-faced when the members of treasury benches raised questions on various aspects of reservation.

 The BJP MLA from Badrinath Mahendra Bhatt created furore in the assembly when he said that in mountainous areas the members of SC community used to be well off.

He said that in last 70 years, the members of reserved categories have made considerable progress and now they should voluntarily leave this benefit. This statement of the MLA was objected by the Congress MLA, Mamta Rakesh.

 She said that the statement reflects the mindset of the ruling dispensation. The agitated Congress members even marched to the well of the house.

The BJP MLA from Bageshwar, Chandan Ram Das created discomfiture for his Government when he cited a recruitment advertisement of tourism department in which only five posts were advertised. He said this was deliberately done as the state government has recently brought change in reservation roaster which has placed the SC candidate on sixth position. The Leader of Opposition (LoP) Indira Hridayesh and Chakrata MLA Pritam Singh said that the Congress party supports the extension in reservation to SC and ST but wants that the representation of Anglo Indian community should also be kept intact.

The lone nominated member, George Ivon Gregory Mann said that the representation of Anglo Indian community should be kept intact. The house later ratified the amendment bill.