Commissions In India

National Commission For Religious & Linguistic Minorities

Denoted with the Ranganath Misra Commission as well, National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities was established by the Central Government of India on October 29, 2004 with the main aim to evaluate the different types of factors and issues which are associated with the linguistic and religious minorities in the whole country and to ensure for their social, educational & economical uplift.

About National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities

The Government of India established the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities in the year 2004 to ensure that all types of linguistic and religious minorities in the country and their issues are addressed to the best extent through recommendations which this Commission suggests for implementation. The then Justice Ranganath Misra who was a Supreme Court Judge had been given the additional responsibility to perform the role of chairperson for that newly setup Commission and to submit the report to Central Government.

Mandate

With the proposal and then establishing the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities the Government of India prescribed a mandate for it and advised the Commission to work closely with the authorities concerned to cater to the needs for that it had been established. Following were the mandates which this Commission was assigned and was commended for the best outcome expected:-

• Suggesting the government for genuine and effective criteria for the socially and economically backward sections identification with special focus on the religious and linguistic minorities
• Suggesting recommendations and suitable measures for the complete social welfare of religious and linguistic minorities through keeping in view their economic and social backwardness
• Prepare a framework for the reservation issue in the education sector and in the employments in government offices
• Guidance for the development of modalities for required constitutional, legal and administrative options to implement and to advise recommendations

Recommendation Reports

National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities submitted its report to the Central Government on May 21, 2007. This Commission suggested to the government several recommendations. A bit of modification was done after a period of five months post the Commission’s establishment to make it function effectively while suggesting recommendations to the government. Some recommendations were as follows:-

• Total rework on the 50% ceiling of reservations with the special emphasis on Scheduled Castes through keeping in view (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and by developing a new modality for that purpose  
• Minorities to get at least 15% of jobs opportunities in public sector and 8.4% in the institutions of higher learning for educational uplift from the existing quota of 27%.
• Making it mandatory for the Dalit converts to come under the SC reservation

Implementation of Recommendations

Once this Commission submitted its recommendation report to Central Government it was discussed thoroughly and processes were started for timely implementation of various recommendations it had suggested. There was though ferocious oppose on the few recommendations but good number of recommendations were agreed upon through mutual consensus. The government took steps to implement some of them and sought proper guidelines for applying practical measures to implement any such recommendation that seemed best suitable.

Implementation options proved worthy and were best tools to uplift socially and economically backward sections of society especially those from religious and linguistic minority groups had been sought for implementation.

Unfortunately, the Commission report and recommendations which were submitted to the government got leaked to the media which therefore caused furor thereafter. It became debatable issue in the parliament but recommendations were welcomed through a major section of the Indian polity.

Some of the recommendations were debated but there were few for which the government took important steps to implement. Strong measures were taken for the implementation of recommendations for seat reservation for minorities in various nonminority educational institutions. A proposal was also made for certain level of reservation to Muslim minorities and especially those deprived in the society after assessing social, financial and educational conditions.

Important steps have been taken to implement the recommendations with certain breakups in percentage for reservation purpose to linguistic and religious minorities in various employment related programs in the prime minister’s plan or similar such plans and programs for timely implementation of recommendations suggested.

Likewise, suggestions for reservation in certain levels in both central and state level government departments with a special breakup for the Muslim community were also debated prior to their implementation.

Composition of Second & Reconstituted Commission

Ranganath Misra Commission was reconstituted for a new purpose to entrust it for its role to suggest the recommendation for status of Scheduled Castes for that it suggested several new recommendations. Restriction of previous Scheduled Castes net to Hindus were opened up for the converts as well in new recommendations.