Tamil Nadu Governor gives nod to Vanniyar reservation Bill

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit has accorded his assent to a Bill to provide 10.5 per cent internal quota to the Vanniyakula Kshatriya community within the reservation for Most Backward Classes (MBC) and De-notified Communities (DNC).

The Governor on Friday gave his assent to Tamil Nadu Special Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments of Posts in Services under the State within the Reservation for the MBC and DC, Act, 2021. The notification was published in the Gazette of the State government the same day.

The law has created two more groups one covering 25 MBCs and 68 DCs and another covering the remaining 22 MBCs.

The law provides internal reservation for three categories - 10.5 per cent quota for MBC (Vanniyakula Kshatriyas), 7 per cent for DC and the MBC communities having similarity with DC and 2.5 per cent the other MBC not included in the above category.

Vanniyakula Kshatriya includes Vanniyar, Vanniya, Vannia Gounder, Gounder, Palli, Agnikula Kshatriya and Padayachi.

The law permits the government to appoint an officer not below the rank of district backward class officer to be the competent authority for carrying out the provisions and the rules made in respect of private educational institutions.

The law was framed after the State government had consulted Chairman of the State Backward Classes Commission M. Thanikachalam on the possibility of providing internal reservation among the MBCs and the DNCs within 20% available to them under the Tamil Nadu Act 45 of 1994 [which deals with the entire reservation scheme of 69% for Backward Classes, MBCs, DNCs, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes].

The Chairman, in his response, had referred to the recommendation of his predecessor, M.S. Janarthanam, to the government about eight years ago for providing 10.5% reservation to the Vanniyakula Kshatriya community within 20%.

The State Assembly had passed the Bill on half-an-hour before the Election Commission announced the date of Assembly poll for the state and the model code of conduct came into effect on Friday.

"There had been consistent representations from the Most Backward Class of Vanniakula Kshatriya for providing separate reservation for them in admission to such educational institutions and in appointments or posts in the services under the State as they could not compete with the other castes and communities included in the list of Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities so as to get their due and legitimate share of such reservation benefits.

The Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Commission examined the demand made by various communities to provide for internal reservation within Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities for various categories and recommended to the Government that internal reservation may be given for three categories, namely, Most Backward Classes (V) -10.5 per cent, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities - 7 per cent and Most Backward Classes - 2.5 per cent," states the Bill

Exclusive quota for Vanniyars has been the consistent demand of the PMK, a key ally of the ruling AIADMK. The party had held a series of protests since December to press for its demand.

Meanwhile, the AIADMK on Saturday, struck poll deal with PMK, offering it 23 Assembly seats.

Elections for 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly are scheduled to be held in a single phase on April 6.