Gujarat government announces 27% reservation for OBCs in local bodies

GANDHINAGAR: The BJP government in Gujarat on Tuesday announced a 27 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classeas (OBCs) in local bodies like panchayats, municipalities and civic corporations on the basis of a commission’s report, paving the way for polls in these self-governing institutes.

However, in areas notified under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) (PESA) Act -- most of them with substantial tribal population -- the reservation for OBCs in local bodies will continue to be 10 per cent. Also, the existing quota for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes remain unchanged and there has been no breach of the 50 per cent reservation ceiling, the Gujarat government said.

Earlier, OBC reservation in local bodies was 10 per cent in Gujarat.

The announcement, based on the Justice Jhaveri Commission report, comes before the Lok Sabha elections and will pave the way of holding of local body polls which were postponed due to the pending quota issue after the Supreme Court mandated that reservation for OBCs should be on the basis of their population.

“On the basis of the Jhaveri Commission report, a cabinet sub-committee recommended 27 per cent reservations for OBC in local bodies and the recommendation was accepted by the state cabinet on Tuesday,” Gujarat minister and government spokesperson Rushikesh Patel told reporters here.

“Earlier, OBC reservation in local bodies was 10 per cent in Gujarat. On direction of the Supreme Court a commission was appointed to redefine seat reservation for OBCs in local bodies. We received the report of the Jhaveri Commission in April. After that deliberations were carried out by a sub-committee of the cabinet,” he said.