The Lok Sabha passed Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to provide reservation to other backward classes in local bodies in Jammu and Kashmir, with the government reiterating that the repeal of Article 370 in 2019 has brought important changes in the Union territory and the opposition demanding that statehood be restored and assembly elections held at the earliest.
Key Highlights
Key-highlights of the Bill
Nationally, OBCs have been accorded 27% reservation; however, there is no reservation for OBCs in J&K and most OBC communities have been listed under SEBC. |
- Reservation for OBCs: The bill seeks to provide reservation to OBCs in panchayats and municipalities in Jammu and Kashmir and bring consistency in the local body laws of the Union territory with the provisions of the Constitution.
- With the new amendment, the Centre proposes to replace the term ‘weak and under-privileged classes (social castes)’ with ‘other backward classes’ (OBC) in the Act.
- Reservation for Valmiki: This bill targets yet another community – the Valmikis. The constitutional amendment seeks to add the Valmiki communityto J&K’s Scheduled Castes list, opening up the 8% reservation.
Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023
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