JAMMU: In a move that could reshape the debate on affirmative action in Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Bashir Ahmad Veeri, senior legislator from the ruling National Conference, has introduced a private member’s bill seeking to extend reservation benefits to economically weaker sections among upper castes. The bill—The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation of Economically Backward Classes Bill, 2024—comes at a time when the reservation system in the Union territory is under sharp scrutiny, with a cabinet subcommittee already constituted to examine the growing imbalance between reserved and open merit categories.
The bill is expected to be taken up during the last two working days of the current Assembly session. It proposes the creation of a distinct category for those who are economically backward but fall outside the existing frameworks of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, or other notified groups. It defines eligible families as those earning less than Rs 75,000 annually and possessing only modest landholdings or property.
In his written justification accompanying the legislation, Dr Veeri has argued that the present reservation policy has created “a situation where merit and equality of opportunity are facing near extinction.” He points out that 76 per cent of all opportunities in Jammu and Kashmir are now allocated under various reserved categories, leaving only 24 per cent open to general competition. He warns that if the trend continues, “it may lead to the complete disappearance of open merit,” thereby undermining both fairness and public confidence in recruitment and admissions.
He has further justified the bill by stating that the economically weaker among the upper castes suffer silently due to their ineligibility for any form of institutional support. Despite their poverty, they are bracketed with socially and economically forward sections and thereby excluded from any benefits. “These families live in distressing conditions and are equally deserving of affirmative support,” the bill states.
Dr Veeri’s proposal includes the formation of a Commission for Economically Backward Classes, which would identify eligible individuals, maintain records, and advise the government on quota implementation. The language of the bill reflects a shift in thinking from identity-based to income-based reservation, and while it does not specify the percentage of reservation to be extended under the proposed category, it calls for urgent policy intervention to correct the growing asymmetry.
The broader context lends weight to the bill. Jammu and Kashmir’s current reservation structure includes not only SCs, STs, and OBCs, but also residents of backward areas, Pahari-speaking people, residents of areas along the Line of Control, and several other classifications. The cumulative share of all these categories has pushed open merit candidates into a corner, triggering public discontent, especially among young job aspirants.
Dr Veeri’s legislative effort also mirrors the national shift initiated through the 103rd Constitutional Amendment, which introduced a 10 per cent quota for the economically weaker sections among upper castes. Jammu and Kashmir has yet to fully synchronise its policies with this central law since its reorganisation as a Union territory.
Though private members’ bills rarely pass into law, Veeri’s initiative adds urgency to the ongoing discussions within the government over the future of reservation in the region. The presence of a cabinet subcommittee on the issue and the growing weight of statistical evidence on reservation saturation suggest that his proposal may not be ignored. Whether it leads to legislative action or not, the bill marks a pivotal moment in the evolving politics of social justice in Jammu and Kashmir.
