CSC report on reservation yet to reach Law Deptt
Jammu, Jul 4: Even over a fortnight after the decision to send it to the Law Department by the J&K cabinet, the much-awaited Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) report on reservation has yet to reach its destination (Law Department).
Reliable sources confirmed that, till July 4 evening, it had not reached the Law Department.
“Yes, so far it has not been received by the department as such. However, if it (cabinet decision) pertained to independent legal opinion, no comments can be made on that account. It is also possible that it may reach there (the Law Department) in a day or two,” sources stated.
When queried why it could take so long to reach a report to the concerned (Law) department purportedly for examination, sources stated, “Nothing can be said about it as that depends upon the cabinet order. It had to be routed through the Social Welfare Department. Obviously, the Chief Minister, or for that matter, the cabinet, takes a decision. They don't directly send it to its destination. The General Administration Department (GAD) conveys cabinet decisions to the concerned department(s). It is processed (sent) through the concerned department following the cabinet decision. One is not aware of the exact direction spelt out in the cabinet decision vis-à-vis procedures.”
Meanwhile, the sources, who form part of the government yet wished not to be quoted, stuck to their point, stating, “Temporary (provisional) report has been sent to J&K Law department. It will be amended later. It has been sent to get this opinion if technically we can make amends or not and to what extent. It will come back to us (cabinet).”
Whether the legal opinion was not taken by the CSC while formulating its recommendation, confronted by this query, the sources said, “No, things were not clear as Business Rules were not approved. Confusion is there because of it (non-approval to Business Rules). The Chief Minister in the cabinet had directed it (report) to send to the Law Department after it was submitted to make it legally tenable.”
The reference was to the last J&K cabinet meeting that was held on June 18, 2025, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar.
Two days after the cabinet meeting on June 20, the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during an interaction with select-media after inaugurating “Raabita” – the Chief Minister’s public service and outreach office in Jammu, had asserted that the Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) report on reservation was a legal document hence it required legal examination as per due process and it was being followed.
“Following it (submission), the Law Department has to examine the report. You cannot hijack this process. It (report) is a legal document. It requires a legal examination. Cabinet, after accepting this report, has sent it to the Law Department for examination and for its comments. When we get it back with the Law Department’s comments. The Cabinet will deliberate on it again, and then the next step will be taken.”
The government is under intense pressure, both internally and externally, to bring the CSC report to the public.
Though the panel (CSC) on reservation was a poll promise, the Omar government was forced to rush the process as its own MP Aga Syed Ruhullah, had joined dharna by open category candidates agitating their cause outside the CM’s residence.
The Omar government, on December 10, 2024, had constituted this panel for examining the grievances projected by a section of aspirants for various posts regarding the Reservation Rules.
The panel was constituted in compliance with the decision of the Council of Ministers (Decision No 012/03/2024), taken on November 22, 2024.
The J&K cabinet had decided to set up a cabinet sub-committee to review and rationalise the reservation policy, in alignment with the promise of the (elected) government.
The three-member panel, comprising Minister for Health and Medical Education (H&ME), School Education, Higher Education and Social Welfare, Sakina Masood Itoo; Minister for Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology & Environment and Tribal Affairs, Javed Ahmed Rana and Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Satish Sharma, had been tasked to “examine the grievances projected by a section of aspirants for various posts regarding Reservation Rules, in consultation with all stakeholders.”
The panel completed its report meeting its deadline of six months on June 10, 2025, and on June 18, it was submitted to the cabinet.
