*CSC report on reservation submitted to council of ministers; finalization after obtaining approval from competent authority: J&K Govt*

Srinagar, Oct 30 The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Thursday disclosed that the cabinet sub –committee on reservation has submitted its report to the council of ministers and it shall be finalized in due course after obtaining requisite approval from the competent authority.

In its reply to a question submitted by Peoples Conference President Sajad Gani Lone and Independent MLA Shabir Kulley, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the Minister in charge of the General Administration Department informed the Assembly that the cabinet sub-committee, after due deliberations and consultations with stakeholders, has submitted its report to the Council of Ministers. The report shall be finalized in due course of time after obtaining the requisite approval of the competent authority, the minister said.

The Minister said that the existing reservation policy broadly aligns with constitutional provisions and judicial principles, including those laid down in the Indira Sawhney vs. Union of India (1992) judgment.

In Indira Sawhney versus Union of India judgment, the Supreme Court has held that reservations should ordinarily not exceed 50 % of the available vacancies.

“However, it is also clarified that this ceiling is not absolute rule and may be relaxed in extraordinary circumstances, where exceptional circumstances and peculiar facts of a particular state or region justify such department,” the minister’s reply reads.

The government, however, said that it does not maintain region-wise or district-wise details of selections for junior scale posts in the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service, Jammu and Kashmir Police (Gazetted) Service, and Jammu & Kashmir Accounts Service, saying it doesn’t maintain such data—(KNO)