The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Chairman of the Railway Board after taking cognisance of a complaint alleging constitutional violations in changes made to the reservation structure of catering and service tenders in the Indian Railways.
According to the case proceedings dated January 5, the complaint was filed by Vinay Joshi from Maharashtra. He alleged that a policy introduced in 2010 by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) altered the reservation framework for catering and service tenders in a manner that violated the principles of equality and non-discrimination guaranteed under the Constitution.
The complainant claimed that under the guise of minority preference, statutory reservations meant for SC, ST and OBC categories were reduced, and a separate reservation benefit was extended to the Muslim community, which he argued is not explicitly provided for under the Constitution. He further alleged that the policy adversely affected the rights of marginalised communities by denying them equal opportunity in the tender allocation process.
A bench of the NHRC, headed by member Priyank Kanoongo, observed that the allegations prima facie indicate possible human rights violations. Acting under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the commission directed the Railway Board to inquire into the matter and submit an action taken report within two weeks.
The complainant has urged the NHRC to issue directions to abolish the policy and take action against the officials concerned, calling the reservation changes politically motivated and unconstitutional. The Railway Ministry has not issued any immediate response to the notice.