HRF decries SC quashing GO on quota for tribals

The Human Rights Forum (HRF) on Saturday took strong exception to the Supreme Court quashing the order providing for 100% reservation to Scheduled Tribe (ST) candidates for the posts of teachers in schools in the scheduled areas. The April 22 verdict by a five-judge Constitution Bench is regressive and undermines hard-won rights of the adivasis, said V.S. Krishna, HRF Coordination Committee Member for the States of A.P. and Telangana. The 152-page judgement by the apex court undermines the importance of the Fifth Schedule enshrined in the Constitution, he alleged. The HRF members called upon the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments to seek a review of the Supreme Court judgment in order to safeguard the significant Constitutional rights and special provisions meant for adivasis in the Fifth Schedule.