Law to reserve seats for SC/STs in local bodies

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has observed that the State Government may bring in a legislation to provide reservation to  SCs/STs and women to the posts of vice-presidents or vice-chairmen in the local bodies in the same percentage and method of reservation adopted for the persons elected by direct election.A division bench comprising Justices D Murugesan and PPS Janarthana Raja made the observation on March 26 while disposing of a public interest writ petition from advocate M Palanimuthu, Head Quarters Secretary of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi.The bench referred to the historic legislation made by the Orissa government in 1991 itself, wherein it had made a provision for  reservation of constituencies to the SCs/STs and women to the offices of vice-chairmen and vice-presidents of local bodies.The only restriction is that such reservations could be made whereever the post was not already held by the SCs and STs or women belonging to the SC/ST community as the case might be.