Parliament approves bills for OBC quota in local bodies in J-K, expand list of Scheduled Tribes

Three bills pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir were approved by the Rajya Sabha on Friday. One of the bills, which would give reservation to other backward classes in local bodies, would harmonize local body laws in the Union territory with constitutional provisions. The legislation pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, the Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, were approved by the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha has passed all three of the bills. The Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 debate was addressed by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda responded to the bill pertaining to the Scheduled Tribes Order, and Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar addressed the debate on the Scheduled Castes Order bill. According to Munda, the three bills introduced following the repeal of Article 370 were intended to provide the people of Jammu and Kashmir with justice. He declared that Jammu and Kashmir’s citizens would receive “political reservation for the first time.” The goal of the Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is to align the Union territory’s local body laws with the provisions of the Constitution and grant reservation to Other Backward Classes in panchayats and municipalities within the state.

It seeks to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000 and the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act, 2000.
Officials said that provisions pertaining to state Election Commissioner in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act “are at variance” with the provisions of the Constitution.
They said said Jammu and Kashmir administration had recommended the inclusion of the Valmiki community as a synonym of Chura, Bhangi, Balmiki, Mehtar at serial number 5 in the list of Scheduled Castes of Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023 proposes to amend the Schedule of the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order, 1956 for inclusion of ‘Valmiki’.