Cabinet Sub-Committee Report on Reservation Submitted to Council of Ministers: J&K Govt

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Thursday said that the Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC) on reservation has submitted its report to the Council of Ministers and the matter will be finalized after obtaining the necessary approval from the competent authority.

Responding to a question raised by Peoples Conference President Sajad Gani Lone and Independent MLA Shabir Kulley in the Legislative Assembly, the Minister in charge of the General Administration Department (GAD) informed that the committee, after detailed deliberations and consultations with various stakeholders, has completed its work and forwarded the report for consideration.

“The report shall be finalized in due course of time after obtaining the requisite approval of the competent authority,” the Minister said.

The Minister added that the existing reservation framework in Jammu and Kashmir is broadly in conformity with constitutional mandates and legal precedents, including the landmark Indira Sawhney vs. Union of India (1992) judgment, which capped reservations at 50 percent.

However, he clarified that the Supreme Court had also observed that this limit is not an “absolute rule” and could be relaxed in “extraordinary circumstances” where peculiar regional or social conditions justify such a departure.

Meanwhile, the government stated that it does not maintain region-wise or district-wise data on selections made to various services, including the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS), Police (Gazetted) Service, and Accounts Service.

“The government does not maintain such disaggregated data,” the Minister added in his written reply.