Rajya Sabha clears bill granting reservation to OBCs in J&K local bodies

New Delhi, Feb 9: The Rajya Sabha on Friday cleared the Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to grant reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Panchayats and Municipalities, apart from empowering the State Election Commission to conduct Urban Local Bodies polls in the Union Territory.
The Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai on February 5, was cleared by the Rajya Sabha via voice vote today.
With the approval of the Rajya Sabha, the amendments proposed in the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000 and Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act, 2000 have come into effect.
The legislation provides reservation to OBCs at different levels in the Panchayati Raj institutions and Municipalities of the UT. It also vests the authority of holding municipal polls with the State Election Commission instead of the Chief Electoral Officer who was earlier empowered to do so. (KNO)