New Delhi, Aug 4 - Parliamentary approval was accorded to a constitutional amendment bill extending the reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in parliament and state assemblies for another 10 years, with the Lok Sabha passing the measure Tuesday.

The Constitution (109th Amendment) Bill 2009 had been adopted by the Rajya Sabha Monday. The measure also extends nomination of members of the Anglo-Indian community to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies by another 10 years.

The bill, moved by Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily passed in a division vote with 385 of the members present voting in favour, while one voted against and one abstained.

Earlier speaking on the bill, the minister said: 'If all political parties resolve that their politics would be inclusive and not divisive, the SCs and STs would be able to join the mainstream in less than ten years.'

Moily told the house that out of 543 Lok Sabha seats, 79 have been reserved for SCs and 42 for STs and out of 3,961 assembly seats, 543 are reserved for SCs and 527 for STs.