Gujarat government announces 27% reservation for OBCs in local self-governing bodies

Gujarat government Tuesday announced 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in local bodies like panchayats, municipalities and civic corporations, paving the way for elections in self-governing bodies, PTI reported.

The announcement, based on the Justice Jhaveri Commission report, comes before the Lok Sabha elections and will pave the way of holding of local body election which were postponed due to the pending quota issue after the Supreme Court mandated that reservation for OBCs should be on the basis of their population.

Earlier, OBC reservation in local bodies was 10% in Gujarat.

The Gujarat government spokesperson Rushikesh Patel said areas notified under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) (PESA) Act -- most of them with substantial tribal population -- the reservation for OBCs in local bodies will continue to be 10%. Also, the existing quota for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes remain unchanged and there has been no breach of the 50% reservation ceiling.

The minister said, “On the basis of the Jhaveri Commission report, a cabinet sub-committee recommended 27 per cent reservations for OBC in local bodies and the recommendation was accepted by the state cabinet on Tuesday.” 

“Earlier, OBC reservation in local bodies was 10 per cent in Gujarat. On direction of the Supreme Court a commission was appointed to redefine seat reservation for OBCs in local bodies. We received the report of the Jhaveri Commission in April. After that deliberations were carried out by a sub-committee of the cabinet,” the report said.

After the announcement, seats in panchayats, municipalities and municipal corporations will be kept reserved for OBC candidates in 27% proportion when elections are held, Patel said.

“However, in the PESA notified areas the reservation will continue to be 10 per cent for OBCs,” the minister maintained, adding this has been done to protect the interest of tribals.

Patel said the reservation for Scheduled Castes (14%) and Scheduled Tribes (7%) in local bodies has not been touched and will remain the same.

“There is a 50 per cent cap on reservation (mandated by the apex court). So, we cannot make it beyond 27 per cent reservation for OBCs,” he said.