The Jharkhand government will inform the Supreme Court that the state was a votary to remove the 50% cap on reservation in government jobs to those belonging to Scheduled Tribe (ST), Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Categories (OBC), chief minister Hemant Soren (CM) said on Friday.
Responding to budgetary discussions in the state Assembly, the CM chief said the apex court has sought views of all states on the issue and they will put forth their opinion accordingly. “Few states crossed the barrier of 50% reservation, following which the respective High Courts quashed the decision. Those states have appealed in the Supreme Court. The apex court has taken cognisance and has now sought opinion over removal of the 50% cap in all the states, as it’s a national issue. We have decided that we will recommend to go beyond the 50% cap,” said Soren.
Increasing reservation, especially to OBCs in the state has been a long standing demand. All major parties in the past, including the BJP, JMM, Congress, AJSU Party, JVM (P), have promised to increase OBC reservation in the state, which currently stands at 14%.
The reservation to the scheduled categories in the state was currently capped at 50%, besides 10% quota to EWS (Economically Weaker Section) in the general category. While STs get 26% quota, SCs get 10%.
{{/usCountry}}The reservation to the scheduled categories in the state was currently capped at 50%, besides 10% quota to EWS (Economically Weaker Section) in the general category. While STs get 26% quota, SCs get 10%.
{{/usCountry}}In the run up to the 2019 state polls, the BJP promised to increase reservation for OBCs in proportion to their population and within the ambit of constitutional provisions. Other major players, including the JMM, Congress, JVM (P) and AJSU Party, also promised to increase OBC reservation to 27% in their election manifesto.
The ruling JMM, which is the lead party in the incumbent JMM-Congress-RJD combine government, promised to also increase reservation for STs and SCs by 2% each.
In his hour-long speech in the Assembly, the CM elaborated on his government’s plans that he said “will give a direction to the state” and help in achieving the purpose for which the state came into existence two decades ago after a long movement.
As the CM launched a scathing attack on the opposition BJP and its alleged “misadventures” during the previous Raghubar Das regime, the BJP legislators staged a walk out from the House and the CM gave most parts of his speech in absence of opposition members.