Former Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam on Friday accused the ruling DMK of failure to make a strong case in the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court for the 10.5% internal reservation for the Vanniyars.
Talking to reporters here, he said the High Court had concluded that there was no quantifiable data available with the government. The Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s view and the government lawyers had failed to put forward a strong case in the Supreme Court, he said.
Mr. Shanmugam said the government had failed to furnish the High Court with the report of the Backward Classes Commission headed by J.A. Ambasankar. The government should explain the lapse, he said.
Mr. Shanmugam said the previous AIADMK government had constituted the A Kulasekaran Commission to collect quantifiable data on castes, communities, and tribes. The Commission’s term ended, but the DMK, which came to power last year, did not extend it. He urged the government to extend its term immediately to protect the 69% reservation in the State.
