Special quota for children of police personnel

NEW DELHI: In a major boost to Jayalalithaa government''s endeavour to infuse confidence among the Tamil Nadu police force, the Supreme Court has upheld its plea to allow 10 per cent special quota to the children of serving, retired or deceased personnel in the recruitments for police and similar forces.
A Bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat and S H Kapadia quashed a Madras High Court judgment which had turned down the 2001 policy decision of the state government to provide such a quota to "boost up the morale and strengthen loyalty of the force".
Aggrieved by this policy, an unsuccessful candidate approached the Central Administrative Tribunal challenging his non-selection in the police force.
Though there was no challenge to the validity of the scheme before the Tribunal, which while dismissing the unsuccessful candidate''s plea, held that reservation provided for wards of police personnel was unconstitutional.
The HC also dismissed the appeal filed by the candidate but approved the view expressed by the Tribunal on the validity of the scheme.
Allowing the TN government''s appeal, the Bench said there was no express view expressed regarding the validity of the policy decision by the Tribunal as wrongly concluded by the HC.
Without expressing any opinion on the validity of the 10 per cent scheme of TN, the Bench said "we set aside the order of the High Court which invalidates the policy decision."