Jharkhand: State assembly passes bill raising reservations to 77% in jobs to SCs, STs and others

Jharkhand reservation bill: In an unprecedented move, the Jharkhand assembly on Friday passed a bill to raise the total reservation offered to different categories to 77%.

The Jharkhand Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services Act, 2001 was amended by the assembly during a special session, increasing the existing 60% reservation for STs, SCs, EBCs, OBCs, and Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in government employment.

According to reports, the bill also proposed that the state will urge the Centre to amend the Constitution's Ninth Schedule. The bill was passed amid protests by MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

CM Hemant Soren termed the bill as 'Suraksha kavach'

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Hemant Soren termed the legislation a "Suraksha kavach" (safety shield) for the state's people who foiled conspiracies by the opposition. However, proposals for some amendments, and a proposal to send the bill for vetting by an assembly committee were rejected.

In the proposed reservation, local people of the SC community will get a quota of 12%, STs will get 28%, Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) 15%, OBCs 12%, and EWS barring those from the other reserved categories 10%. At present, the STs get a 26% reservation in Jharkhand, while SCs get a 10% quota.

All major parties, including the coalition that controls the state government made an electoral commitment to raise the OBCs' quota in 2019, which currently stands at 14%.

(With inputs from PTI)