After consulting legal experts, the Tamil Nadu government would take a decision on the next course of action on internal reservation for Vanniyars, state Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan said on Thursday. Without proper basic data, a law to provide internal quota for Vanniyars was brought out by the previous AIADMK regime hastily for 'political reasons' in the run-up to the Assembly election last year, the minister said. Despite the government's all-out efforts, like appointment of senior advocates to handle the matter, the law to provide sub-quota for Vanniyars was struck down by the Supreme Court in view of the data factor, Duraimurugan said in a statement. Against this background, the minister said the Tamil Nadu government would take a decision on the next course of action on internal reservation for Vanniyars after consulting legal experts. Reacting to the judgment, PMK founder S Ramadoss said the verdict made it clear that based on clear data, a recommendation could be made by the Tamil Nadu Backward Classes Commission to provide internal reservation for Vanniyars. Based on it, the government could adopt a fresh Bill in the Assembly and provide reservation, the PMK leader said in a statement and urged Chief Minister M K Stalin to immediately take steps in this regard. Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi chief T Velmurugan urged Stalin to enact a new legislation to provide reservation and ensure that it does not get struck down by courts. The Tamil Nadu Assembly last year passed a bill providing internal reservation of 10.5 per cent for Vanniyars, a most backward community, in government jobs and in admission to educational institutions. The law split the aggregate 20 per cent reservation for the Most Backward Classes (MBCs) and Denotified Communities into three separate categories by regrouping castes and provided 10.5 per cent sub-quota for 'Vanniyars', formally Vanniakula Kshatriyas. The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down the 10.5 per cent reservation.
