Apex court sets aside its order on SC/ST quota in bank promotions

R Sedhuraman

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, January 8

The Supreme Court today recalled its own order directing public sector banks to provide reservation to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe candidates in officer-level promotions.

A Bench comprising Justices J Chelameswar and AK Sikri, however, asked the government and the banks to consider the demands of SC/ST employees for quota in the matter of promotion in the officers’ category.

“It is for the state to take stock of the ground realities and take a decision as to whether it is necessary to make a provision for reservation in promotions from Scale I to Scale II and upward, and if so, up to which post,” the Bench said.

The SC also asked the government to take into consideration the contention of the SC/ST employees that they had negligible representation in the officers’ category at all levels.

The apex court delivered the verdict on review petitions filed by the Central Bank of India and other public sector banks, seeking a recall of the SC ruling on January 9, 2015. The SC had delivered the verdict on the petitions of the SC/ST employees’ welfare association and others.