New Delhi, Dec 8 (IANS): Parliament Monday passed a constitutional amendment bill to add more communities to the existing list of Scheduled Castes in many states.
The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2014, which was earlier approved by the Lok Sabha, was passed by the Rajya Sabha Monday.
The bill adds more communities in the list of Scheduled Castes in the states of Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tripura. It removes the Majhi community from the list in Sikkim.
Urging the members to pass the bill, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot said the amendment was necessary for betterment of lives of many people belonging to Scheduled Castes.
The minister also said the government was not in favour of reservation for Dalit Christians and Muslims.