India's minorities quota put on hold by election officials

Jan 12, 2012, 10:00 GMT

New Delhi - India's Election Commission has put on hold a government decision to reserve a proportion of government jobs and seats in state-run educational institutions for minority groups, news reports said Thursday.

The 4.5-per-cent share for minorities - within an existing 27-per-cent quota reserved for a caste grouping known as other backward classes which includes lower-castes and untouchables - has been stalled until elections in five states conclude in March.

The commission took the decision Wednesday after opposition parties complained that the ruling Indian National Congress party had made the announcement to appease Muslim voters in the politically significant state of Uttar Pradesh, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported.

The quota announcement was made on December 22, days ahead of the Election Commission releasing the poll schedule. Muslims comprise 19 per cent of the 200 million people in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state.

'To ensure a free and fair poll and to provide equal opportunities to all political parties and candidates, the minority quota has been put on hold,' the Election Commission said in a statement.

The commission also issued a notice to Law Minister Salman Khurshid for violating the code of conduct during elections. Khurshid allegedly promised to double the quotas to 9 per cent during campaigning in Uttar Pradesh recently.

Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Zoroastrians form the main minorities in India. Although the constitution does not make any provision for reservations on basis of religion, nine Indian states have over recent years implemented such sub-quotas for minorities.