The Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has initiated a detailed review of the implementation of the reservation policy in key Union Government departments, with a special focus on the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
The Committee has scheduled oral evidence from senior government officials and employee welfare organisations on July 30, 2026, as part of its examination of the issue.
The move comes through an Office Memorandum dated July 21, 2026, issued by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, directing the Department of Revenue (Ministry of Finance), the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), and the Department of Legal Affairs to appear before the Parliamentary Committee in connection with the implementation of reservation policies in these departments.
Parliamentary Committee to Hold Oral Evidence
According to the memorandum, the meeting will be held at 3:00 PM on July 30, 2026, in Committee Room ‘C’, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi.
The proceedings have been structured in three phases:
- 3:00 PM – 3:10 PM: Briefing by representatives of the All India Federation of Customs Central Excise & GST SC/ST Employees Welfare Organisation.
- 3:10 PM – 3:20 PM: Presentation by the All India Income Tax SC/ST Employees Welfare Federation (ITSEWA).
- From 3:20 PM onwards: Oral evidence of representatives from the CBIC, CBDT, DoPT and the Department of Legal Affairs.
The agenda specifically relates to the implementation of reservation policy in the Ministries and Departments of the Government of India with special reference to the CBIC and CBDT.
Background Notes to Be Submitted Before July 28
The Committee has directed the Department of Revenue to furnish 40 physical copies each of the latest background note in English and Hindi on the subject by July 28, 2026. Electronic copies in PDF and Word formats have also been sought for circulation among Committee members.
Similarly, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has been asked to submit written replies to issues raised by the Income Tax SC/ST Employees Welfare Federation (ITSEWA) by the same deadline.
Department of Legal Affairs Asked to Explain Legal Advice
The Parliamentary Committee has also sought information from the Department of Legal Affairs regarding the legal advice provided to the DoPT and CBDT concerning various court judgments that have been cited by the ITSEWA Federation in its representation.
The Department has been instructed to furnish this information by July 28, 2026, in both English and Hindi.
Secretary-Level Representation Expected
Referring to Direction 59(1) issued by the Speaker, Lok Sabha, the memorandum reiterates that whenever a Ministry or Department is required to depose before a Parliamentary Committee, it should ordinarily be represented by the Secretary or the Head of the Department, unless the Chairperson permits another senior officer to appear on its behalf.
The Committee has also requested that only the minimum required number of officers attend the sitting, accompanied by their Secretaries where appropriate, and that the names, designations and mobile numbers of attending officers be communicated to the Committee by July 28, 2026.
Employee Welfare Organisations to Present Their Concerns
The memorandum indicates that representatives from two major employee organisations will first present their concerns before the Committee:
- All India Federation of Customs Central Excise & GST SC/ST Employees Welfare Organisation, represented by officers including Senior Intelligence Officer Sandeep Kumar and Superintendent Sanjay Kumar.
- All India Income Tax SC/ST Employees Welfare Federation (ITSEWA), represented by Joint Commissioner Babasaheb Bhosale and DCIT Ganesh Meena.
Their submissions are expected to form the basis of the Committee’s interaction with senior government officials.
Committee Monitoring Reservation Policy Implementation
The meeting forms part of the Parliamentary Committee’s ongoing examination of reservation policy implementation across Union Ministries and Departments. A screenshot of the Lok Sabha Committee portal indicates that this will be the fourth sitting of the Committee on the subject, with the agenda specifically mentioning implementation of reservation policy in relation to the CBIC and CBDT.
The Committee is chaired by Dr. Faggan Singh Kulaste, and its examination is expected to focus on compliance with reservation provisions, implementation practices, and issues raised by SC/ST employee organisations before making its recommendations to Parliament.
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