Waheed Para moves J&K Assembly motion on reservation policy

SRINAGAR — PDP MLA from Pulwama Waheed-ur-Rehman Para moved an adjournment motion in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly on Monday, seeking an urgent debate on the Union Territory’s reservation policy.

Para called for a discussion on what he described as continuing injustice and delay over the reservation issue and said the interests of students in the open-merit category should not be compromised.

In his notice, Para described the existing reservation framework as having a cumulative impact on open-merit candidates and sought its consideration by the House. The motion was submitted under Rule 56 of the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business, according to the news agency KNS.

The reservation issue has remained under review since the Jammu and Kashmir government constituted a three-member Cabinet sub-committee in December 2024 to examine grievances raised by aspirants over the existing reservation rules. The panel comprised ministers Sakina Masood Itoo, Javed Ahmad Rana and Satish Sharma.

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The committee was given six months to complete its work and reported completion of its report in June 2025. The report was subsequently taken up in the government’s review process. Contemporary reports said the Cabinet later sought changes to address shortcomings and make the document legally tenable.

The reservation framework has remained a subject of debate among open-merit aspirants, with concerns over the proportion of opportunities available outside reserved categories.

Para’s latest move brings the issue back before the Assembly as legislators debate a range of governance and policy matters during the autumn session, which began on Monday and is scheduled to continue through September 30.

Further proceedings on the motion and the response from the government and the Speaker are awaited.