The Rajya Sabha has passed three important bills relating to Jammu and Kashmir, including a bill that provides reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBC) in local bodies. The bills aim to bring consistency in the local bodies’ laws of the Union territory with the provisions of the Constitution. The bills were also passed by the Lok Sabha.
The Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to provide reservation to OBCs in the panchayats and municipalities in Jammu and Kashmir. It also aims to align the local bodies’ laws with the constitutional provisions. The bill amends the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000, and the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act, 2000.
Speaking about the bills, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda stated that they were introduced after the abrogation of Article 370 to provide justice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He highlighted that the bills would grant political reservation to the people of the region for the first time.
In addition to the OBC reservation bill, the Rajya Sabha also passed two other bills related to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023, aims to include the Valmiki community in the list of Scheduled Castes in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023, proposes to include the Gadda Brahmin, Koli, Paddari Tribe, and Pahari Ethnic Group in the list of Scheduled Tribes.
These bills reflect the government’s commitment to ensuring equitable representation and empowerment of marginalized communities in Jammu and Kashmir. By providing political reservation and expanding the list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the bills aim to promote inclusivity and equal opportunities for all.
With the passage of these bills in both houses of Parliament, the reservations for OBCs in local bodies and the expanded list of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will become law, further strengthening the democratic fabric of Jammu and Kashmir.
