All about Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Bill and J&K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill. The House also passed the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill. The bills were passed after more than six hours of debate spanning over two days and a spirited reply by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The home minister said the two bills related to Jammu and Kashmir brought by the government will give justice to those deprived of their rights for the last 70 years and asserted that reservation to the displaced people will give them a voice in the legislature.

Here's all about the two J&K Bills.


What is the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Bill?
The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was first introduced in Lok Sabha on July 26, 2023. The bill amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004. The Act provides for reservation in jobs and admission in professional institutions to members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other socially and educationally backward classes.

It seeks to change the nomenclature of a section of people who are eligible for quotas in appointments and admissions.

Under the Act, socially and educationally backward classes include: (i) people residing in villages declared as socially and educationally backward by the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir, (ii) people residing in areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control and International Border, and (iii) weak and under-privileged classes (social castes), as notified.

As per the Bill "the government may make inclusions or exclusions from category of weak and under-privileged classes, on the recommendations of a Commission". The Bill also substitutes weak and under-privileged classes with other backward classes as declared by the UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

What is the J&K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill?
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill was first introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 26, 2023. The Bill amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The Act provides for the reorganisation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature).

It seeks to nominate two members from the Kashmiri migrant community and one representing the displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to the legislative assembly.