articles 22, 23 and 24 of its Constitution, which permitted detention. The National Security (Amendment) Act authorized detention where a threat existed to the defence ‘or security of the careful scrutiny of such cases by the Supreme Court, that Indian legislation did not contravene article 4 of the preventive preventive of India. In view there was no doubt Covenant. 271. Referring to article 355 of the Constitution, the representative said that the Indian Government had reason to believe that the agitation for secession in certain border states was being aided and abetted by foreign elements infiltrating into Indian territory. Following reports from those states, stringent measures had become necessary in order to protect innocent people from being killad by terrorists. 272. With reference to that issue, members of the Committee wished to receive information on the effectiveness of the special provisions designed to promote the advancement of “any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes”; on the participation of members of these groups and of women in the political and economic life of the country, including the percentage of government and public sector employment at present reserved for such groups: on whether the classification of “backwardness” was solely made on the basis of caste; on how membership in scheduled castes and scheduled tribes was determined in individual cases: and on in which respects, other than in the exercise of political rights, the rights of aliens were restricted as compared with those of citizens. 273. In addition, members wished to know whether any measures had been taken to combat the tradition according to which abortion of female foetuses was promoted in order to encourage families to have male children: how successful the amendment to the Equal Remuneration Act had been; and whether there was any remedy available for violations of the provisions of that Act. 274. In his reply, the representative of the State party explained that according to the 1981 census, about 105 million Indians were members of scheduled castes, while 54 million were members of scheduled tribes, The Government was required by the Constitution to reserve a certain number of posta and a certain number of seats in Parliament and in the state legislatures for members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The Constitution also provided that the claims of members of scheduled castes or scheduled tribes should be taken into consideration in the appointment process for posts and services in connection with national or state affairs, Furthermore, a series of five-year plans for the advancement of “backward” classes was a priority element of national policy. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribos (Prevention of Atrocities) Act had been enacted following the receipt of reports of atrocities committed against such persons. 275. There had been a progressive increase in the participation of women in India’s economic and political life. Womenrepresented 11.5 per cent of the work force in the public sector and 18 per cent of the work force in the private sector. Womenwere legally entitled to take qualifying examinations for posts in the top echelons of p-ublic administration, but relatively few womenchose to take the examinations, Although there were no legal obstacles -69-