The Jammu and Kashmir government has forwarded the report of Cabinet Sub Committee on Reservation to the Law Department for legal review before it can be reintroduced for cabinet clearance.
This was decided in the cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of CM Omar Abdullah which deliberated on a wide range of administrative issues, but top priority was given to the much-debated reservation policy, held at the Civil Secretariat Srinagar on Wednesday evening. Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC) report on reservation, which proposes changes to the existing quota structure, prepared over several months, has stirred public debate amid rising concerns from merit-based aspirants and civil society members.
“The CSC report on reservation was discussed in detail and subsequently sent to the Law Department to examine its constitutional and legal validity,” sources privy to the discussions said.“The cabinet held detailed deliberations on the CSC report regarding the reservation policy and after discussion, the report was referred to the Law Department for its opinion,” he said.He further said no timeline was fixed by the cabinet for the return of the report from the Law Department, suggesting the process may take some time. “Only after legal vetting, the report will return to the cabinet for a final decision,” he said.
The reservation policy has faced criticism for allegedly diluting merit by exceeding the 70% cap on reserved categories. Prominent voices, including NC MP Aga Ruhullah and various student bodies, have expressed serious reservations, calling it a “murder of merit.”
Now the Law Department’s review will determine whether the policy stands the test of constitutional scrutiny, especially under the J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019. The cabinet also held serious deliberations on the declining tourism graph, particularly in the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack. The drop in tourist footfall has triggered concern in both the private and public sectors, with hospitality and transport sectors facing losses.
“The government is preparing a revival roadmap that includes, rebranding efforts, revival of places, temporarily closed after the April attack was also discussed, alongside promotion of eco and adventure tourism in untapped areas.Another point of discussion, sources said, was recruitments in the Forest Department, especially in light of environmental concerns affecting tourism, forests, and wetland areas.With the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra just days away, the cabinet reviewed preparedness along both the Baltal (Ganderbal) and Pahalgam (Anantnag) routes, including medical services, base camps, and food and water supply.
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