ALERT! For SC, ST quota cabinet clears amendment of Article 370 clause

The government Thursday gave its nod to the promulgation of an ordinance for giving reservation benefits to SCs and STs in Jammu and Kashmir by amending a clause of the contentious Article 370, which gives special status to the State.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said.
“It will serve the purpose of application of relevant provisions of the Constitution of India, as amended through the Constitution (Seventy Seventh Amendment) Act, 1995 and Constitution (One Hundred and third Amendment) Act, 2019 for Jammu and Kashmir, by issuing the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Amendment Order, 2019 by the President under clause (1) of Article 370,” he said.

The ordinance will have to be promulgated by the President.
Meanwhile, a spokesman of Governor administration in Jammu and Kashmir said the union cabinet today approved the following:
Amending the JK Reservation Act through an Ordinance to add the words ” and International Border” after the word “LAC” so that the benefits of reservation available to residents of LAC are extended to IB. This would benefit residents in Jammu, Samba, Kathua.

Through a Presidential Order, apply the 77th Constitutional Amendment 1995 to J&K. This would give the benefit of reservation in promotion to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in government service.
Through a Presidential Order, apply the 103rd Constitutional Amendment 2019 to J&K. This would give the benefit of 10% reservation to Economically Weaker Sections among the general category people.

“These were recommended by the SAC in its meeting last week to the central Government,” the spokesman said.