CM to chair Cabinet meet today, reservation policy likely to be key agenda

The J&K Government, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has called for a Cabinet meeting in Jammu on Wednesday, with the contentious reservation policy expected to feature prominently on the agenda.

A review of the existing reservation framework—especially after changes introduced in 2024 by the Union Territory administration under Lt Governor Manoj Sinha—has emerged as a major public demand. In October, Omar announced that the Cabinet had accepted the sub-committee’s report which had been formed to examine the issue.

Sources confirmed that Omar will chair the meeting on Wednesday morning. A senior National Conference (NC) leader said the Cabinet would deliberate on the reservation issue, with “some decision” anticipated.

The decision to call the meeting comes days after Srinagar MP and NC leader Aga Ruhullah Mehdi warned of fresh protests, similar to last year’s, if the reservation issue was not resolved before the Winter Session of Parliament concludes on December 19.

In 2024, the UT administration approved a 10 per cent reservation for the Pahari community, increasing the overall quota across categories. The move triggered widespread protests from general-category students, who argued that the revised policy further reduced their chances in government recruitment.

After a two-day meeting of the NC working committee in Srinagar, Omar Abdullah had said, “Since elections and the code of conduct are over, in the next Cabinet meeting, the minister concerned will bring the memo to the Cabinet and we will discuss it.” He added that the Cabinet sub-committee report was complete.

Government sources said several other issues were also listed for discussion.

Amid speculation that the sub-committee has reduced the percentage allotted to the Reserved Backward Area (RBA) category to increase the open merit share, People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone said, “I can say it on authority that in the BJP reign, while taking a decision on reservations, even the BJP got scared and at the last moment decided not to touch RBA.”

“The reason being that this is the only form of reservation where Kashmiris get some relief,” he wrote on X.

The party of jailed MP Engineer Rashid also criticised the delay, saying the NC “promised rationalisation of reservation during the last Assembly elections and Omar Abdullah repeated the same promise in the recent by-election yet nothing changed.”