Jammu & Kashmir Reservation Bill passed in Lok Sabha

The Central Government had earlier decided to reserve seats for the Pandit community in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. In the current session of Parliament on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced two bills in this respect. One of the bills provides for reservations for two Kashmiri Pandits, including one woman. A seat has also been reserved for the displaced people from 'POK'. Both bills were passed in the Lok Sabha amid uproar by the opposition. Opposition MPs staged a walkout in protest.

There is no legislative assembly in Jammu and Kashmir now. The president's rule has been in place since August 5, 2019. Moreover, Jammu and Kashmir has lost its statehood and is now a Union Territory. The Centre has announced that statehood will be restored after the assembly polls. Earlier, the Centre passed an important bill in Parliament on the state. Several parties have been demanding early elections in the Union Territory. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill has been passed.

Introducing the bill, Shah said the bill will provide reservations for seats for those who were forced to leave Kashmir due to terrorism in the Valley. Seats will be reserved for two MLAs representing Kashmir Pandits under the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Seat Redistribution Bill. A seat has also been reserved for refugees from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The Union Home Minister said that this bill will give justice to those who have been deprived of their rights for the last 70 years.

After the abrogation of Article 370, Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir were bifurcated into two separate union territories. In October 2019, the Modi government started rearranging the constituencies in Kashmir. A three-member committee was formed and given the responsibility of rearranging the seats. The committee completed its work in May 2022 and submitted its report. The number of assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir increased from 83 to 90.