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Three member sub-panel to look into reservation issue: CM Omar
The policy introduced by lieutenant governor-led administration, before the assembly elections early this year, had squeezed the general category to 40%, which form the majority of the population, and increased reservation for reserved categories to 60%
After demands for reversing the reservation policy in recruitment and admissions, the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to form a three member cabinet-subcommittee to look into the issue so that every category gets justice, chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Friday.
The decision was taken after Abdullah held a cabinet meeting with his team of ministers in Jammu.
“The main decision in the cabinet today was the formation of a cabinet subcommittee to look into the reservation issue. Many things are being said about reservation. There is concern and complaints. Our youth from the open category think that they are not getting their rights while at the same time those from reserved categories don’t want to lose their rights. That is why the cabinet has decided today to form a sub-committee comprising three ministers,” Omar said.
The policy introduced by lieutenant governor-led administration, before the assembly elections early this year, had squeezed the general category to 40%, which form the majority of the population, and increased reservation for reserved categories to 60%.
“The cabinet has asked them to take a holistic view of the reservation. They should see what has happened till now and whether or not we have gone beyond the recent Supreme Court orders. And what needs to be done so that anybody’s right is not snatched but everyone should get justice,” the chief minister said.
Briefing the media after the meeting, minister for jal shakti and forests Javed Ahmed Rana said that critical issues, including employment, reservation, recruitment processes and development, were deliberated upon.
He said that the lieutenant governor’s speech during the assembly session was thoroughly discussed and approved.
Replying to a question about the demand for the Darbar Move, the minister said “every important aspect mentioned in his address has been included in it”.
The National Conference (NC), which won the elections in the union territory, had promised to re-look at the reservation policy in its election manifesto and there were growing demands from candidates and even opposition to rationalise the reservation policy.
Senior National Conference leader and Member of Parliament from Srinagar Ruhullah Mehdi on Thursday promised the candidates that he will join the protest outside the residence of chief minister Omar Abdullah if the reservation policy was not rationalised by the end of Parliament session. Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has called for a protest at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on December 5, to demand the undoing of the “unjust reservation policy”.
The demands for re-look have become more pronounced after the Omar led government approved the advertisements for 575 lecturer positions in various streams within the Jammu and Kashmir school education department. However, of the 575 posts referred to the Public Service Commission, only 238 were for open merit candidates, triggering outrage.
Early 2024, the LG amended the Jammu and Kashmir reservation Act of 2004 approving reservation for newly included tribes, including Paharis, and adding new castes in OBC and then providing overall 60% reservation to reserved categories while squeezing the general category to 40% which are believed to be majority in the population.
Abdullah said that they will take any decision after the report of the sub committee.
“The committee has been given time and after they submit report, only then we can take any decision,” he said.
Deputy chief minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, other ministers and chief secretary Atal Dulloo participated in the meeting. This was the second meeting of this government during its tenure of over one month.
With PTI inputs
