Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Feb 15: In a significant move, the Jammu & Kashmir Government has extended the term of the local bodies dedicated backward classes Commission, which was constituted last year to work out reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies, up to February 28.
The Department of Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs has extended the term of the three-member panel until February 28.
The Commission’s term had expired on December 31, 2024, but the order granting extension to it also covers the period from the day its term had expired until today.
This is for the first time that the elected government has granted an extension to the panel headed by Justice (retd.) Janak Raj Kotwal, and comprising Raj Kumar Baghat (retired IAS officer) and Prof. (Dr.) Mohinder Singh Badwal (former Dean, SKUAST, Jammu).
Sources said that the panel is likely to submit its report by the end of this month.
The submission of the report by the panel would give an indication about the ball rolling for conducting Panchayat and Municipal elections.
Sources said the commission is likely to recommend reservation proportionate to OBC population in Panchayats, Municipalities, Block Development Councils (BDCs) and District Development Councils (DDCs).
Sources in the J&K government said that there are bleak chances of holding the polls in April- May. “The polls could take place in October –November,” they said.
