Lok Sabha Passes Bill For OBC Reservation In Jammu-Kashmir's Local Bodies

The Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill-2024 aims to ensure OBC reservations in local bodies of the union territory and align its laws with constitutional provisions.

A file photo of Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai ( Image Source :PTI )

The Lok Sabha approved a bill on Tuesday to introduce reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local bodies in Jammu and Kashmir. The government emphasised that significant changes have occurred in the Union territory since the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, as reported by news agency PTI. Responding to a brief discussion on the Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill-2024, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai highlighted that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are now benefiting from the development initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

Presently, there are no provisions for OBC reservations in panchayats and municipalities in Jammu and Kashmir. The bill aims to address this by ensuring OBC reservations in these local bodies and aligning the UT's laws with constitutional provisions.

According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, "With this, justice will be ensured to the citizens of Other Backward Classes of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time after 75 years of independence."

Based on his reply as per the discussion on the bill in the Lok Sabha, Nityanand Rai stated that he did not refer to the opposition's demand for the government to come up with a time frame for holding elections and the restoration of statehood in J&K. Rai also said that during the debate, the opposition members raised several points and staged support for the bill that would have given OBCs reservation in Jammu and Kashmir's panchayats and municipalities.

"I wish to make one thing clear, no matter how much you go around in circles, but in Jammu and Kashmir wherever you go you will only hear 'Modi, Modi' and the development ushered in by Modi," the minister said, reported PTI.

Opposition Demands Early Elections In Jammu And Kashmir

Earlier, opposition Lok Sabha lawmakers urged the administration to call early assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Hasnain Masoodi of the National Conference (NC) demanded during the debate that elections be held soon in the Union territory. He claimed that before the Supreme Court had to get involved, the national government ought to have made a decision regarding the polls. The top court ordered the Election Commission a few months ago to schedule assembly elections for September of this year in Jammu and Kashmir. Masoodi reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared his government would make significant choices on Monday. According to Masoodi, elections in the Union territory ought to be conducted before any further significant choices are made.

Ajay Misra, the minister of state for housing, stepped in to point out that elections for local bodies were held in the erstwhile state.

TMC politician Saugata Roy, who was present at the debate, also brought up the Supreme Court's observation and advocated for early assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

On August 5, 2019, Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted the former state special status, was revoked, and Jammu and Kashmir became a Union territory with a legislative assembly provision.

The NCP's Supriya Sule urged that the government provide a timeframe and "not a vague" response on assembly elections and granting Jammu and Kashmir's citizens statehood. She said the government could at least provide a rough schedule for when the democratic exercise will take place, even if the Election Commission will choose the date.

Jugal Kishore Sharma, a BJP member from Jammu and Kashmir, stated that the law would guarantee OBCs justice.

The YSRCP's Chinta Anuradha claimed that this legislation was progressive and would facilitate the smooth running of local elections, such as those for panchayats.

Shiv Sena members Pratap Jadhav, Navneet Rana (Ind), Kaushalendra Kumar (JD-U), Ramesh Bidhuri (BJP), Veeraswamy Kalanidhi (DMK), N K Premachandran (RSP), Ve Vaithilingam and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (both Congress) also took part in the discussion.