In the wake of Janata Party’s win in the 1977 elections, the agenda of backward classes again gained momentum. Pursuant of its electoral promise, the Janata government set up a new backward classes commission in February 1978.

Later, when Charan Singh was appointed as the Prime Minister, his coalition government tried to implement 25% reservation for the BCs weeks before the 1980 general elections. However, the President objected to such a move as it was a care-taker government.