General category reservation: Modi Cabinet approves 10 percent quota for economically weaker sections in Jammu and Kashmir

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the proposal of Jammu and Kashmir government regarding amendment to the Constitution (Application to Jammu & Kashmir) 0rder, 1954 by way of the Constitution (Application to Jammu & Kashmir) Amendment Order, 2019, an official statement said. The decision "will serve the purpose of application of relevant provisions of the Constitution of India, as amended through the Constitution (Seventy Seventh Amendment) Act, 1995 and Constitution (One Hundred arid third Amendment) Act, 2019 for Jammu and Kashmir, by issuing the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Amendment Order, 2019 by the President under clause (1) of Article370", it added. 

The ordinance will give benefit of promotion in service to Scheduled Castes, Schedule Tribes and also extend the reservation of up to 10%  for "economically weaker sections" in educational institutions and public employment in addition to the existing reservation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley later told reporters. The Constitution (Seventy Seventh Amendment) Act, 1995 provides for reservation in promotion for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. 

The Constitution (One Hundred and third Amendment) Act, 2019 provides for 10 per cent reservation in education and government jobs to economically weaker sections.

Another decision

The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi on Thursday approved the proposal of Jammu & Kashmir government to issue "The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019" by the President of India. The ordinance seeks to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004 to bring persons residing in areas adjoining International Border within the ambit of reservation at par with persons living in areas adjoining Actual Line of Control (ALoC), said a Cabinet statement.

Upon the notification of the Ordinance, persons residing in areas adjoining International Border could come in the ambit of Reservation at par with persons living in areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control, it added.