LS passes 2 key Bills on Jammu & Kashmir

In a significant development, the Lok Sabha approved two major Bills on Wednesday related to Jammu and Kashmir – the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023.

These Bills, initially introduced on July 26 this year, aim to bring about key modifications in the existing legislative framework.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, changes the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, which governs job and education reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and socially and educationally backward classes.

Notably, the Bill replaces the term “weak and underprivileged classes” with “other backward classes,” as declared by the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The original definition of weak and under-privileged classes is eliminated.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, addressing the Lower House, emphasised the importance of integrating all sections of society, especially the backward classes, into the mainstream. The Bill seeks to prioritise Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

Simultaneously, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which led to the formation of the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The proposed amendment aims to increase the total number of seats in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly, accommodating the demographic changes resulting from the delimitation exercise.

A crucial aspect of the Bill is the provision to nominate up to two members from the Kashmiri migrant community to the assembly, one of whom must be a woman. Migrants, in this context, are defined as those who moved from the Kashmir valley or any other part of the state after November 1, 1989.

The Bill also grants the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir the authority to nominate a member representing displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, provided the displacement occurred in 1947-48, 1965, or 1971.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed gratitude during the proceedings as no members opposed the Bills ‘ intentions. However, he took the opportunity to launch a scathing attack on the erstwhile Congress regime, blaming Jawaharlal Nehru’s decisions for the plight of Jammu and Kashmir. The opposition benches staged a walkout in response to these remarks but later returned.

Shah reiterated the government’s commitment to ending the terror ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir, revealing a plan for “zero terror” incidents in the region by 2026. He asserted that the Bills would bring justice to those deprived of their rights for the past 70 years, emphasising that reservation for displaced people would give them a voice in the legislature. The passage of these Bills marks a significant step towards addressing longstanding issues and fostering inclusive development in Jammu and Kashmir.