(a) whether the Government is considering to provide constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC);
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government proposes to increase the number of membership from three to five; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EMPOWERMENT
(SHRI KRISHAN PAL GURJAR)
(a) & (b) The Government introduced the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017 in the Lok Sabha on 5.4.2017, which provides for setting up of a Commission for socially and educationally backward classes to be known as the National Commission for Backward Classes, as a Constitutional entity by insertion of article 338B in the Constitution. The Bill, alongwith the Bill to repeal the existing National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993, were passed by the Lok Sabha on 10.04.2017 and introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 11.04.2017. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017 was considered in the Rajya Sabha on 31.07.2017 and was passed by the Rajya Sabha with the exception of Clause 3 of the Bill. The Government has since introduced alternative amendment viz. Clause 3 of the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017 in the Lok Sabha on 03.01.2018.
(c) & (d): The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017 provides for a five-member Commission including the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and three other members.
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