Following a petition challenging the constitution of a committee to look into the demands of the Gurjjars, the Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday asked the state Government to explain its move within a week. The petition was filed by one Lakham Singh, who has requested the court to restrain the Justice Jasraj Chopra Committee from working on the quota demand citing that state Governments or Union territories in the country do not have the power to constitute a commission or committee on reservation.

The petition, filed on Tuesday, states that under Article 338-A (9) of the Constitution which says that the Union and state Governments shall consult the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes on all major policy matters affecting them.

Singh’s counsel A K Gupta said, “Following the Gurjjar agitation, the state Government announced and formed a commission on its own, which goes against the Article. Moreover, the Union Government in 2003 had sent a directive to all state Governments that before taking any policy decision with regard to reservation, the state must consult the National Commission for Scheduled Caste and Tribes. The Rajasthan Government did not bother to do that.”

The Justice Jasraj Chopra Committee was formed within a week after the calling off of the Gurjjar agitation. The three-member committee has already invited representations from the community by July 16 and is expected to submit a report to the state Government by early September.