- Two were to be moved by Shah; others by Munda, Kumar
- Likely to figure in Lower House anytime now
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 1: Union Home Minister Amit Shah was scheduled to move two Reservation bills pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir for pass motion in Lok Sabha today while Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda and Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar had to propose pass motion for two other bills but none of them could be taken up in the House because of pandemonium by the Opposition on Manipur violence.
As per List of Business in Lok Sabha, four bills were scheduled to be taken up together for consideration and passing but due to repeated adjournments, the pass motions couldn’t be moved.
“The bills can be taken up anytime now for consideration and pass motion in Lok Sabha as they had to be introduced and passed by the Rajya Sabha later. Concerned Ministers have asked the Jammu and Kashmir officials to stay in the Union capital and be present in the Officers’ Gallery to assist the Ministers in case of queries pertaining to the bills,” the officials said.
Two bills were listed on the names of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
They include a bill to amend Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 and another bill to amend Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004. Third bill was listed on the name of Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr Virendra Kumar which proposed amendment in the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order, 1956 while fourth bill had to be introduced by Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda proposing amendment in the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1989.
The Lok Sabha, however, passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order Amendment Bill after brief discussion.
The Union Government also tabled the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023, to replace the Delhi Services Ordinance amid vociferous protests by opposition MPs even as Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that Parliament is empowered to make laws for Delhi and termed the objection to it “politically motivated’’.
Describing all four Reservation bills of Jammu and Kashmir as very “crucial”, sources said they could be taken up for consideration and passing anytime now as the Government doesn’t want to delay them any further.
Present Parliament session will last till August 11. However, Lok Sabha is scheduled to take up debate on no-confidence motion against the Government on August 8.
One of the bills pertained to nomination of two Kashmiri migrants including one woman and a Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) refugee in Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir by the Lieutenant Governor while the other is about grant of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Pahari Ethnic Tribe, Paddari Tribe, Gadda Brahmans and Kolis.
Third bill proposed to change nomenclature of Other Social Castes (OSCs) to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) for grant of reservation while fourth bill will include Valmikis in the list of Scheduled Castes.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Bill, 2023 provides for nomination of not more than two members, one of whom shall be a woman, from the community of Kashmiri migrants, and one member from displaced persons from Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir, to the Legislative Assembly of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Delimitation Commission, while undertaking the delimitation process of Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, had received many representations from the Kashmiri migrants as well as from the displaced persons from Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir regarding reservation of seats in the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to preserve their political rights and identity, they said.
“It is proposed to amend Section 2 of the Reservation Act by the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 so as to change the nomenclature of ‘weak and under privileged classes (Social Castes)’ occurring in Sub-clause (iii) of clause (o), to ‘Other Backward Classes’ and to make consequential amendment in Clause (q), of Section 2 of the said act,” the statement on the OBC bill stated.
The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order Bill 2023 seeks to include the Valmiki community as a synonym of Chura, Bhangi, Valmiki and Mehtar in the list of Scheduled Castes of Jammu and Kashmir.
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