A parliamentary panel reviewing OBC welfare has taken exception to the proposal that MPs and MLAs should not be included in the 'creamy layer' for reservations, the Times of India reported.
The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) had suggested that past and present MPs and MLAs should not be eligible for reservation, as appointement to such posts implied that they had achieved social elevation.
However, many backward politicians seem to be uneasy about the recommendations of the NCBC to the Centre as the parliamentary panel has criticized the proposal.
The OBC panel, in a stormy discussion on Tuesday argued that it was these "stringent restrictions" that were responsible for very little OBC presence in the government in comparison to the 27% reserved quota.
The NCBC had also proposed that a 'Class I' officer at a state and Centre level be excluded from reservation benefits, irrespective of whether the officer was a direct recruit or a promotee.
The panel responded saying that not all of them were educated or rich, and were elected for a very short term, also arguing that the NCBC's suggested income bar of Rs 10.5 lakh was restrictive and demanded Rs 20 lakh annually.
TOI also reported that the panel has asked the NCBC to withdraw and reconsider the report.