Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot today introduced the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to create a new commission with constitutional powers for the OBCs at par with the National Commissions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. <br/><br/>The Minister also moved another bill to repeal the existing National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) Act, 1993, saying the commission proposed in the constitution amendment bill will be more empowered. <br/><br/>The proposed commission will have a chairperson, vice- chairperson and three other members and hear the grievances of<br/>socially and educationally backward classes.<br/> <br/>As per the Constitution Amendment bill, at present, the functions of the NCBC is limited to examining the requests for inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class and hear complaints of over-inclusion or under-inclusion of any backward class in the existing quota and advise the central government. <br/><br/>The existing NCBC was set up as a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in August, 1993.