New Delhi, April 25 (PTI)

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today declared in the Lok Sabha his government's commitment to remove anamolies in promotion of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes employees created by three 1997 Office Memoranda (OMs) and said action would be taken after the court gave its verdict.

Responding to the concern voiced by Congress member Sushil Kumar Shinde and others during Zero Hour, Mr Vajpayee said "there is unanimity between Treasury and Opposition benches that justice must be provided to SCs and STs and that they should not be neglected".

Noting that the OMs had posed a challenge, he said government had brought forward two Constitution Amendment bills which were passed by the House to remove anamolies created by two of the five 1997 OMs.

On the question of promotions for SC and ST government employees, he said the issue was before a Constitutional Bench and hoped the court would deliver its verdict soon to allow the government to act.

Mr Vajpayee told the members that the government was prepared to bring appropriate legislation in the House to correct the anamolies and "all necessary efforts will be made" in this regard.

Raising the issue, Mr Shinde said the OMs were posing a "serious hurdle" in promotions for SCs and STs and recalled that despite a Cabinet decision, no action had been taken so far on the three remaining government circulars. He was supported by several Congress and other Opposition party members in his contention.