Large number of representations received for this
*Percentage of OBC reservation may be left to Govt
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 2: J&K Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission is actively considering recommendation of at least one Parliamentary seat each out of nine in the Union Territory for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes or one seat to both in rotation after every term as it has received large number of recommendations to this effect.
However, the Commission has its term till September and will take a final decision before finalizing its recommendations. The Commission is headed by Justice (Retired) GD Sharma and comprised Rup Lal Bharti and Munir Khan.
As per reliable inputs, the Commission has received large number of recommendations from SC and STs that though they have been granted reservation in Legislative Assembly as well as all three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies, not even a single seat is reserved in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha from Jammu and Kashmir.
J&K has five Lok Sabha and four Rajya Sabha seats. All four Rajya Sabha members from the UT had retired in February 2021 and the seats remained vacant since then as elections for them couldn’t be held in the absence of Legislative Assembly here.
“There were demands from SCs and STs that at least one seat be reserved for them either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha. Or, one Parliamentary seat can be reserved for them which will rotate after every five year term which means either one Lok Sabha or one Rajya Sabha seat can be reserved for SCs in one term and for STs in second term,” the sources said, adding since there are large number of such suggestions before the Commission, they are under active consideration.
They said the Commission will take a call on such a recommendation in due course of time as it has its term till September.
It may be mentioned here that SCs have eight percent reservation in Legislative Assembly for quite a long time and seven constituencies have been reserved for them, all in Jammu region.
After abrogation of special status of erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir and its bifurcation into two UTs of J&K and Ladakh, the STs were granted 10 percent reservation in the Assembly leading to reservation of nine seats for them in 90-member House.
However, there was no provision of reservation for SCs and STs either in Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir. The Delimitation Commission too didn’t make any such recommendation.
The STs enjoyed reservation in jobs, education etc, but they were denied political reservations in Jammu and Kashmir for a long time though such a reservation existed in Lok Sabha and Assemblies across the country. This was, however, after abrogation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 5, 2019 that the Government extended political reservations to STs in J&K Legislature.
Another suggestion under consideration of the Commission is recommending the Government about increase in reservation to Scheduled Castes in Government jobs and educational institutions from 8 percent to 9 percent plus as per their population.
The Commission is also working on reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Backward Areas.
“Percentage of reservation, however, remained prerogative of the Government,” the sources said.
The OBCs have been agitating for 27 percent reservation like other States. However, the Government can take call on percentage depending upon population of the OBCs, they said and added that the Commission has received large number of representations from various communities for their inclusion in the list of OBCs.
The Commission will make recommendations on inclusion of more castes in the OBCs depending upon the criteria fixed for this.
Presently OBCs have been given four percent reservation under Other Social Castes (OSCs) category.
The Commission, as per the sources, is also pursuing reduction in Backward Areas whose residents enjoyed 10 percent reservation.
The Commission is reportedly working on deletion of nearly 50 percent areas listed as “Backward Areas” as they ceased to be backward now and is likely to add new areas in their place which are genuinely backward.
The Commission had earlier recommended reservation for Pahari Ethnic Tribe, Paddari Tribe, Koli and Gadda Brahmins and Valmikis.
“Now, the Commission is undertaking an extensive exercise on the backward areas and nearly 50 percent of the areas are likely to lose status of RBA,” sources said. In their place, the areas which deserve to be backward as per criteria will be included,” sources said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
