On Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Rajya Sabha. During the discussions in the Upper House of Parliament, Shah referenced the Supreme Court\’s affirmation of the abrogation of Article 370, characterizing it as a significant setback for opposition parties.
Providing real-time updates on the Article 370 verdict, Shah commented, \”Today, the decision (by the Supreme Court on Article 370) has also come. Nevertheless, they (Congress) maintain that they don\’t accept this and that Article 370 was abrogated wrongfully. I can\’t explain to them what the reality is… Article 370 fueled separatism, and separatism led to the rise of terrorism.\” He stressed that when history and time demonstrate the fallacy of decisions, reconsideration in the interest of the nation is essential. Shah cautioned that if the opposition persists in their stance, a face-off could occur in 2024, with Prime Minister Modi securing a third term.
Shah also highlighted the Supreme Court\’s acknowledgment that challenging the proclamations of Governor\’s rule and President\’s rule is inappropriate. Discussing the provision for amending Section 370, he stated, \”So a provision was inserted inside Article 373 that the President can amend Section 370, ban it, and can also remove it completely from the Constitution…\”
Concerning the two bills related to Jammu and Kashmir, Shah informed the Rajya Sabha that the Union Government has reserved 24 seats in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, asserting the region\’s affiliation. He noted changes in seat distribution post the new delimitation commission and underscored the reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Kashmiri migrants.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 aims to amend the 2019 Act, increasing the total seats in the Legislative Assembly to 90 and introducing reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The bill empowers the Lieutenant Governor to nominate two members from the Kashmiri migrant community.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 focuses on providing preferential treatment in employment and education for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other socio-educationally disadvantaged groups. The proposed bill replaces the term \”weak and underprivileged classes\” with \”other backward classes\” as identified by the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Both bills received unanimous approval in the Rajya Sabha, with opposition parties staging a walk-out during the discussions.