Union Home Minister Amit Shah plans to introduce a significant bill in the Lok Sabha today that will amend the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act of 2004 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act of 2019. This bill proposes expanding reservation coverage by including economically disadvantaged sections in professional institutions and increasing the number of assembly seats from 83 to 90.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act guarantees certain categories of people reservations in government jobs and educational institutions. Shah’s bill seeks to expand reservations in professional institutions to economically disadvantaged groups. The Reorganisation Act, which divided Jammu and Kashmir into union territories, will be amended to increase assembly seats and reserve seats for Scheduled Castes and Tribes.
Furthermore, crucial presentations from ministries such as heavy industries, fisheries, animal husbandry, dairy, home affairs, and agriculture will be made during Tuesday’s parliamentary proceedings. In addition, corrections to previous responses will be made, and a message from the Rajya Sabha regarding the Post Office Bill 2023 will be reported.
On the first day of the Winter Session, two bills were passed, and reports on ‘The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023,’ ‘The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023,’ and ‘The Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023’ were tabled. Despite its inclusion on the agenda, the Ethics Committee’s report on alleged misconduct by TMC MP Mahua Moitra was not presented in the Lok Sabha.
The Rajya Sabha cleared the bill to repeal the Indian Post Office Act, 1898, despite opposition concerns about potential state surveillance. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha approved the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023, aligning with the government’s strategy to eliminate outdated laws and incorporate relevant provisions.
As the government aims to bring forth 21 bills in this session, including overhauls to the IPC, the Indian Evidence Act, and the CrPC, Amit Shah’s proposal concerning Jammu and Kashmir’s reservations and reorganization stands out as a significant move in the ongoing parliamentary sessions.