SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah clarified on Friday that the Cabinet Sub-Committee reviewing the reservation policy in Jammu and Kashmir has been given six months to complete its report. His statement comes amid controversy over the absence of a specific timeline in the initial government order.
Responding to concerns raised by National Conference MP Rahullah Mehdi and others, Abdullah explained that the timeline was decided following his meeting with job aspirants who had expressed grievances over existing reservation rules.
The Cabinet sub-committee constituted to examine the complicated issue of reservations in recruitment has been given a 6 month timeline to complete their report. This timeline was set by me after I met with a concerned group of job aspirants. This timeline, however, was not in…
— Office of Chief Minister, J&K (@CM_JnK) March 15, 2025
“The Cabinet sub-committee constituted to examine the complicated issue of reservations in recruitment has been given a 6 month timeline to complete their report. This timeline was set by me after I met with a concerned group of job aspirants. This timeline, however, was not in the initial order setting up the sub-committee. That oversight will be corrected but rest-assured the committee is working to complete its task in the set timeframe,” Omar said in a post on X.
The clarification follows Mehdi’s strong reaction to a government statement in the Legislative Assembly, which indicated that no specific timeline had been fixed for the committee’s findings. Mehdi took to social media, calling it either a clerical error or a deliberate betrayal of students who had placed trust in the administration.
“I hope the statement saying ‘no specific timeline has been fixed’ is some clerical error or a miscommunication between the department and the Chief Minister’s office. The Chief Minister should clarify this,” Mehdi posted. He warned that if the omission was intentional, it would amount to a “blatant lie” and a failure to honour the government’s commitment to job aspirants.
The issue gained traction after Social Welfare Minister Sakeena Itoo, responding to a query by Peoples Conference legislator Sajad Gani Lone, said that the three-member Cabinet Sub-Committee, formed in December last year, had not been assigned a deadline to submit its report.
Soon after CM Omar’s clarification, MP Ruhullah wrote on X: “I appreciate the clarification. This is something that people look for in their elected representatives. Accountability and transparency is something which our people deserve in these challenging times. I will take this response as an assurance for the students that the commitments made to them in that meeting to resolve this genuine issue will be met and the Cabinet Sub-committee will do its job within the given timeframe.”
I appreciate the clarification. This is something that people look for in their elected representatives. Accountability and transparency is something which our people deserve in these challenging times.
I will take this response as an assurance for the students that the… https://t.co/0gu1NIB3jI— Ruhullah Mehdi (@RuhullahMehdi) March 15, 2025
