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J&K Speaker disallows debate on reservation policy
Awami Ittehad Party MLA Sheikh Khursheed Ahmad moved resolution on rationalisation of reservation policy but it was rejected by the Speaker as it was not a recent occurrence and the matter was in court.
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The Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Monday disallowed a private member’s resolution moved by Langate Awami Ittehad Party MLA Sheikh Khursheed Ahmad seeking the rationalisation of the contentious reservation policy.
According to the official communication dated October 20, issued by the assembly secretariat, the resolution was disallowed under Rule 179 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business.This rule allows a member of the legislative assembly, who is not a minister, to propose a resolution on a matter of public interest.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather said the matter cannot be taken up for discussion as it’s neither of recent occurrence nor permissible because it’s sub judice.
“The issue has already been discussed earlier and a committee has been constituted by the government to look into it,” he said.
Khursheed’s resolution had called for a review and the rationalisation of the existing reservation framework to ensure fairness and equitable representation across all sections of society.
Brushed under carpet: Lone
AIP chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi said for how long will general category students and aspirants have to wait for an end to the unjust discrimination in the name of reservation. “This prolonged imbalance is costing the future of thousands of deserving youth who are being denied opportunities despite merit,” he said.
Reacting to the development, Peoples Conference chairman Sajjad Lone posted on X: “Reservation it seems is being brushed under the carpet. I was watching with alarm. The adjournment notice on rationalisation of reservations was disallowed by the Speaker. No debate was allowed. Reservation is the most important issue facing us. It is staring in our faces and has long-term ramifications. Yet, it is being made a victim of political expediency.”
The reservation policy framed and implemented in 2022 triggered protests in J&K by general category students who call it “unjust” and “usurpation of their rights” by granting reservation in government jobs and professional colleges to different sections, reducing the general merit share to 40%. Activists say the reservation in Jammu and Kashmir violates the 50 percent bar set by the Supreme Court.
Issue pits MP against NC govt
Last year, the reservation policy led to street protests in Srinagar before chief minister Omar Abdullah’s house. Srinagar National Conference MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi also participated in the protests. The NC manifesto promised to review the policy. The reservation issue has become a flashpoint between the MP and his party ahead of the Budgam assembly byelection on November 11. Ruhullah has stayed away from campaigning, setting a condition that the government make its review report of the policy public.
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association has also demanded that the cabinet sub-committee report submitted to lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha be made public for clarity on the matter.
PDP MLA Waheed ur Rehman Para had recently expressed concern over “cutting RBA quota” from the reservation policy and called it “disempowerment of Kashmiris”. “The move strikes at a quota that primarily safeguards Kashmiri representation. Kashmiris gave Omar Abdullah a historic mandate to defend their rights — yet he stands with the most anti-Kashmiri decision in decades. The new reservation matrix is a political project to dilute Kashmiri representation. We seek the immediate release of the sub-cabinet committee report. The very mission Sheikh Abdullah began for Kashmiri empowerment is now being reversed by his own party to defend an illegal, BJP-driven reservation policy,” Para had posted on X.
