JAMMU, Feb 27: In a noteworthy turn of events, the Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission submitted its final report to the Chief Secretary of J&K, Atal Dulloo, on Thursday.
The report was delivered in the presence of Secretary for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, and is anticipated to outline the aims established at its founding.
Other attendees included Director Panchayati Raj, J&K, Sham Lal; Secretary of the OBC Commission, Reyaz Ahmad Shah; and Deputy Secretary, Mohinder Sharma.
The Commission, chaired by Justice (Retired) Janak Raj Kotwal, a former Judge of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, also includes former IAS Officer RK Bhagat and Dr. Mohinder Singh Badwal, a former Dean of SKUAST Jammu. It was tasked with determining reservation quotas for OBCs. Although the Commission’s official term ended on December 31, 2024, it received an extension until February 28, 2025, to complete its work.
Notably, the Commission was established to carry out empirical studies on OBC representation, engage stakeholders, and recommend proportional reservations in both urban and rural local bodies. During its tenure, the Commission reviewed records, conducted surveys, and analyzed census data to assess the OBC population and their representation in local governance.
To ensure a thorough evaluation, the panel gathered data from government departments, institutions, and experts, held discussions with researchers, and conducted field visits across J&K prior to finalizing its report.
The J&K Local Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission was established on June 11, 2023, in compliance with Supreme Court rulings in the K. Krishnamurthy vs. Union of India (2010) and Vikas Krishna Rao Gawli v. Maharashtra (2021) cases.
Currently, the Municipal Bodies, Panchayats, and Block Development Councils in J&K have been without elected representatives for over a year. The Municipalities’ term concluded in October-November 2023, while the Panchayats and Block Development Councils completed their five-year terms on January 9, 2024.
In recent electoral history, three phases of panchayat elections—Halqa Panchayat Elections (November 2018), Block Development Council Elections (October 2019), and District Development Council Elections (November-December 2020)—were successfully conducted, resulting in significant devolution of power in terms of funds, functions, and functionaries, thereby strengthening grassroots democracy.
