Subversion of reservation in Devaswom board: SC/ST Commission files case based on Kerala Kaumudi report

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Chairman of Kerala State Commission for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes B S Mavoji has voluntarily filed a case against the subversion of reservation of scheduled castes in the five Devaswom Boards of the state.

The commission chairman ordered the secretaries of the Devaswom board and SC/ST Development Department to submit a report within ten days after a detailed investigation.

Kerala Kaumudi on yesterday reported about the loss of more than 12 appointments in the past two years to Scheduled caste due to Devaswom board order about the implementation of forward caste reservation. The case was filed on the basis of this report.

The commission states in the order that depriving the sections that are constitutionally entitled for reservation of appointments is a violation of the Constitution and justice.

Since reservation was introduced in 2015 in appointments in Travancore, Kochi, Malabar, Guruvayoor and Kudalmanikyam Devaswom Boards, after Ezhava caste, the Scheduled Castes was eligible for reservation. When the Devaswom implemeted ten percent reservation for EWS in 2020, SCs were removed from second position for reservation.