Odisha govt to bring ORV Act Amendment Bill in next session

Bhubaneswar: Odisha government today said it would bring a bill for amendment of Orissa Reservation of Vacancies in the posts and service for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Act, 1975, in the next session of Assembly.

While replying to an adjournment debate, ST & SC Development Minister L B Hiirika announced this after opposition Congress MLAs staged a dharna in well of the house demanding a specific deadline from the government.

Congress members had rushed to the well of the house as the minister earlier refused to set any deadline for bringing the amendment of the ORV Act.

Initiating the debate, senior Congress member Chakradhar Paik criticised the state government for not bringing a bill for the amendment of ORV Act.

"The government has been giving assurance to amend the ORV Act since a long time. But no action is being taken even as BJD has been in power for over 12 years," Paik alleged.

Stating that at least 52 SC & ST legislators cutting across partylines had submitted a memorandum demanding amendment in the ORV Act one year ago, Paik said Congress had brought at least five adjournment motions seeking amendment of the ORV, but the government was reluctant to take any step in this regard.

The SC & ST MLAs pointed out that due to the delay, dalits and adivasis were not getting reservation in the contractual postings. "Amendment in the ORV Act will ensure reservation in contractual appointments, no deresrvation of posts in case of non-availability of suitable candidates and reservation facilities in promotions in service," pointed out leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh.

The agitated SC and ST MLAs also threatened to go for agitation if the government further delayed in bringing the amendment bill.