J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah responded firmly to senior National Conference (NC) leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi’s comments on reservation in government jobs and colleges. Abdullah emphasized that decisions on reservation policies should be made through proper consultation within the legal framework, not through intimidation. The tension escalated after Mehdi threatened to join student protests if the government did not engage with them by December 27.
Abdullah, also the Vice President of the NC, faced criticism from Mehdi for allegedly not fulfilling election promises. The state cabinet, under Abdullah’s leadership, proposed increasing the reservation quota for open merit candidates to 40%, which would involve reducing quotas for RBA and EWS categories. Once approved by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, the total reservation in government jobs and colleges would be 60%, with the remaining 40% for open merit candidates.
The current reservation system in J&K includes quotas for SCs, OBCs, STs, EWS, RBA, and residents near the Line of Control/International Border. Additionally, there is a horizontal reservation of 10%, including allocations for ex-servicemen and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).
