AC amends J&K Panchayati Raj Act to incorporate reservation for OBCs

Srinagar, Dec 28: The Administrative Council (AC) which met here under the chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha approved carrying out amendments in Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989 to incorporate definition of OBCs in the Act for ensuring their reservation in this grassroots democratic institution.

Earlier the draft J&K Panchayati Raj Act (Amendment) Bill 2023 was submitted to MHA, GoI and observations raised by MHA were examined and necessary amendments have been incorporated in the revised draft J&K Panchayati Raj Act (Amendment) Bill.

The Amendment bill proposes incorporation of definition of OBCs for providing reservation for the Other Backward Classes, explaining method of disqualification from membership of Halqa Panchayat, suspension and removal of Sarpanch, Naib-Sarpanch and Panch by the Government. It also defines process for removal and conditions of service of State Election Commissioner (SEC) here.

The proposed amendments aims to make J&K Panchayati Raj Act, 1989 more effective by ensuring transparency in functioning of PRIs, constitutional alignment & consistency with practices in other states where reservation has been provided to the OBCs apart from the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.

The meeting was attended by Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor; Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary J&K; and Dr. Mandeep K Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor.