The Kerala State Commission for Economically Backward Classes among Forward Communities is a statutory Commission constituted by the Government of Kerala under the Kerala State Commission for Economically Backward Classes among Forward Communities Act , 2015(Act 2/2016) to exercise the powers conferred on it and to perform the functions under the Act.
Under Section 3 of the Act, the Government of Kerala has to constitute the Commission with a retired Judge of the Hon’ble Supreme Court or High Court as Chairperson with two members belonging to forward community having special knowledge in matters relating to forward community, nominated by the Government and an Additional Secretary to Government or a person who had served as an Additional Secretary to Government for not less than three years as Member Secretary. The present Commission was constituted through Government Notification SRO No.190/2019 dated 08.03.2019 as modified by G.O.(Rt)No.4301/2019/GAD dated 20/07/2019.
CIRCUMSTANCES TO THE ORIGIN OF THE COMMISSION
In 2016, Government of India through National Commission for Economically Backward Classes headed by Retd. Major General Shri. S.R.Sinho had recommended to Government of India in their report of 2010 for forming welfare corporations for Economically Backward Classes of the non-reserved section and to constitute a permanent commission for giving statutory protection to the causes of the non-reserved communities.
The Central Government which came in power partially accepted the recommendations in 2014. In 2019, Government of India approved the report through the 103th constitutional amendment.
Considering the spirit of the report of NCEBC and memorandum of Forward Communities, Government of Kerala constituted the Kerala State EBC Welfare Corporation in 14/06/2012.
For giving statutory protection to the working of the corporation for forward communities and to submit a Review report from time to time, organization of forward communities presented a submission to the Honorable Chief Minister and the Cabinet appointed a Special Officer to that effect. Dr.V.M.Gopala Menon IAS was appointed as the Special Officer.
The Government has decided to form a permanent commission for the economically backward classes among the forward communities on the basis of the report of the said Special Officer. The permanent Commission came into existence through an ordinance in 28/08/2015 and became operative on 21.01.2016. The Commission with Rtd. Justice A.V. Ramakrishna Pillai as Chairman and Shri. K.S. Vasudeva Sarma, Prof.D. Kurias Kumpalakuzhi as Members, and Dr.V.M. Gopala Menon IAS (Rtd.) as Member Secretary was the first Commission which came into existence on 24.02.2016. On the expiry of term the Government re-constituted the Commission as per Notification dated 06/03/2019. The new Commission came into power on 14/03/2019.