The Jammu and Kashmir Government issued an order to include 15 more castes in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) list to extend reservation benefits to more marginalized castes in the Union Territory.
Jats, West Pakistani Refugees, Gorkhas, Wagheys, and Ponywallas are among the new classes in the list of the OBCs.
In a notification, the Jammu and Kashmir government said, "In exercise of the powers conferred by the first proviso to clause (o) of Section 2 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004, and on the recommendations of the Jammu and Kashmir Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir hereby directs that the following amendments shall be made in Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Rules 2005."
As per the notification, 15 more classes were included in its social caste category list.
The new classes added to the list are Waghey (Chopan), Ghirath/Bhati/Chang community, Jat community, Saini community, Markabans/PonyWalas, Sochi community, Christian Biradari (converted from Hindu Valmiki), Sunar/Swarankar Teeli (Hindu Teeli along with already existing Muslim Teli), Perna/Kouro(Kaurav), Bojru/Decount/Dubdabay Brahmin Gorkans, Gorkhas, West Pakistani refugees (excluding SCs) and Acharyas.
The Jammu and Kashmir government also modified the existing social castes by subsisting their names.
"In Annexure-D to the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Rules, 2005:- (i) for the words Potters (Kumahars), Shoe repairers (working without the aid of machines) Bangies Khakrobes (Sweepers), Barbers, Washerman, Dooms, the words Kumahars, Mochi, Bangies Khakrobes, HajjamAtrai, Dhobi and Dooms (excluding SCs) shall be respectively substituted," the notification issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Social Welfare Department Civil Secretariat, Jammu reads.
The other change made in the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Rules, 2005, is that the words "Pahari Speaking people (PSP)" or "Pahari Speaking People" wherever appearing, the words "Pahari Ethnic people" shall be substituted.
OBCs to get reservation benefits at par with other parts of the country.
After the abrogation of Article 370, the members of the OBCs in Jammu and Kashmir will get reservation benefits like other parts of the country.
It was promised that after the abrogation of Article 370, OBCs of J&K would get reservations like other parts of the country.
Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha on August 5, 2019 made it a point to mention that 52 percent OBC population of J&K will the biggest beneficiaries of the decision of the government to abolish Article 370.
It was all due to Article 370 that OBCs of Jammu and Kashmir were denied reservation rights like other parts of the country.
