Chandigarh, Sep 16 (IANS): The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has asked the Punjab government to consider reservation in the promotion of judicial officers and other court employees belonging to the Schedule Caste category.

Hearing a petition, in the presence of Central and Punjab government officials in New Delhi, Commission Chairman Vijay Sampla asked the state to submit the progress report to the commission within two weeks.

Punjab's Special Secretary, Home Affairs and Justice, Baldeep Kaur was among the officers present.

The petitioner said the state had passed the Punjab Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes (Reservation in Services) Act of 2006 but it has never implemented it in case of appointment in judicial services.

After the hearing, Sampla said: "The commission recommends that the Home Ministry of the Punjab government will immediately move the file for implementation, in accordance with the reservation rules. Progress made in the matter to be intimated to the commission within the two weeks."