SRINAGAR: Omar Abdullah govt has landed in a political hotspot after asking HC to dismiss a petition that calls J&K’s policy of high reservations anti-merit and seeks its rationalisation. The govt’s move is at odds with its long-standing position that the quotas need to be re-examined and its decision to set up a cabinet committee for the review.
The govt’s stand in the HC has been spelt out in an affidavit filed on Friday by the social welfare department, whose minister Sakina Itoo heads the cabinet sub-committee. As the govt came under attack from opposition, Itoo suggested Saturday that the affidavit was a mistake and a fresh one would be drawn up.
The petition argues that changes brought in reservations laws after abrogation of Article 370 has limited access to open merit candidates to govt jobs and education institutions. Filed last Dec by a lawyer, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, and some others, the plea contends that the changes reduce open merit seats from 57% to 33%.
In its affidavit, the govt said the plea should be dismissed with heavy costs in spite of the fact that it set up the cabinet after massive protests last Dec against the quotas. The affidavit describes the existing reservation policy as constitutional and insists that amendments brought in after abrogation of Article 370 in Aug 2019 has not violated any rights, “whether fundamental, legal or statutory.” It also argues that the govt is entitled to include or exclude any particular section to make “the country socialist in its true spirit”.
Omar’s rivals seized on the apparent dichotomy. “The govt is defending a deeply flawed reservation policy in court. The so-called cabinet committee was nothing but a facade to mislead the public,” PDP MLA Waheed Parra said.
Peoples Conference legislator Sajad Lone, who had flagged the issue in the assembly last month, noted the silence on the panel. “Nowhere has the govt mentioned the formation of the sub-committee. This is a legal mystery. Seems the govt is not taking its own committee seriously enough to merit a mention in its affidavit,” Lone said.
During a debate on March 16 in the assembly, minister Itoo had asserted that the cabinet would examine grievances against the reservation system. Ministers Satish Sharma and Javed Rana as the other members of the panel.
As the row escalated, Itoo held a presser Saturday to reaffirm the govt’s commitment to rationalising reservations. She said the govt was “looking at the circumstances” in which the affidavit was filed. The govt will come up with a report on reservations within six months and ensure the recommendations of the panel are implemented, Itoo said. “We are sincere and we are not here to mislead anyone,” the minister added.
The govt’s stand in the HC has been spelt out in an affidavit filed on Friday by the social welfare department, whose minister Sakina Itoo heads the cabinet sub-committee. As the govt came under attack from opposition, Itoo suggested Saturday that the affidavit was a mistake and a fresh one would be drawn up.
The petition argues that changes brought in reservations laws after abrogation of Article 370 has limited access to open merit candidates to govt jobs and education institutions. Filed last Dec by a lawyer, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, and some others, the plea contends that the changes reduce open merit seats from 57% to 33%.
In its affidavit, the govt said the plea should be dismissed with heavy costs in spite of the fact that it set up the cabinet after massive protests last Dec against the quotas. The affidavit describes the existing reservation policy as constitutional and insists that amendments brought in after abrogation of Article 370 in Aug 2019 has not violated any rights, “whether fundamental, legal or statutory.” It also argues that the govt is entitled to include or exclude any particular section to make “the country socialist in its true spirit”.
Omar’s rivals seized on the apparent dichotomy. “The govt is defending a deeply flawed reservation policy in court. The so-called cabinet committee was nothing but a facade to mislead the public,” PDP MLA Waheed Parra said.
Peoples Conference legislator Sajad Lone, who had flagged the issue in the assembly last month, noted the silence on the panel. “Nowhere has the govt mentioned the formation of the sub-committee. This is a legal mystery. Seems the govt is not taking its own committee seriously enough to merit a mention in its affidavit,” Lone said.
During a debate on March 16 in the assembly, minister Itoo had asserted that the cabinet would examine grievances against the reservation system. Ministers Satish Sharma and Javed Rana as the other members of the panel.
As the row escalated, Itoo held a presser Saturday to reaffirm the govt’s commitment to rationalising reservations. She said the govt was “looking at the circumstances” in which the affidavit was filed. The govt will come up with a report on reservations within six months and ensure the recommendations of the panel are implemented, Itoo said. “We are sincere and we are not here to mislead anyone,” the minister added.
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