The much-awaited report of the Cabinet Subcommittee on existing reservation rules is likely to be discussed during the Cabinet meeting of the Omar Abdullah government, scheduled for this evening at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar.
Although there has been no official communication regarding the agenda of today's meeting, it is widely believed that the Cabinet will take up the subcommittee's report, especially as open merit candidates have been mounting pressure on the government to act on it.
Cabinet Subcommittee Submitted Its Report on June 10
Within the stipulated six-month timeframe, the Cabinet Subcommittee submitted its report on June 10. Education and Health Minister Sakina Itoo, who headed the panel, announced that the report had been completed and would be presented to the Cabinet during its next meeting.
The subcommittee was constituted by the Omar Abdullah government on December 10 to examine the existing reservation rules in Jammu and Kashmir. Besides Sakina Itoo, the panel includes Forest Minister Javed Ahmad Rana and Sports and Transport Minister Satish Sharma.
The panel was tasked with submitting its report within six months following demands from student groups and political parties for transparency amid widespread public apprehension.
In April, the panel held a series of meetings at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre in Srinagar, where it met various delegations and collected feedback.
The new reservation policy introduced by the Lieutenant Governor-led administration ahead of the assembly elections last year had reduced the general category quota to 40%—despite this group forming the majority of the population—while increasing reservations for reserved categories to 60%.
Following amendments to the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, Scheduled Tribe (ST) status was extended to several communities, including Paharis, Padaris, Kolis, and Gadda Brahmins. A petition challenging these changes is currently pending in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, with petitioners arguing that the amendments are unconstitutional.
According to reports, the Cabinet Subcommittee is expected to brief the Cabinet on its recommendations during today's meeting.
Sources indicate that the Cabinet will not only review the report but may also make a policy decision on whether to implement the recommendations and explore the legal course of action. Apart from the reservation issue, the Cabinet is also expected to discuss preparations for the upcoming Shri Amarnath Yatra and tourism promotion, both priorities in the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam.
