The Lok Sabha passed two bills that amend the pre-existing laws in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. The bills were introduced in July this year, namely the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill 2023, and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2023. #WATCH | Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks on The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 & The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2023He says, ...Two seats will be reserved for Kashmiri Migrant community members, and one seat in the Jammu and Kashmir… pic.twitter.com/dLE0erAqDG— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2023What is J&K Reservation BillThis bill will modify the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act 2004 which governs reservations in jobs and admissions to professional institutions for Scheduled Castes(SC), Scheduled Tribes(ST), and backward classes. This bill also replaces the phrase weak and under privileged classes with other backward calsses. The key feature of the bill includes the elimination of the original definition of weak and under-privileged classes. #WATCH | Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks on The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 & The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2023He says, Pakistan attacked Kashmir in 1947 in which around 31,789 families were displaced...10,065 families were… pic.twitter.com/WerMOQreco— ANI (@ANI) December 6, 2023What is J&K Reorganisation Bill Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023, modifies the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which made it easier to reorganise the former state into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. With the passage of this law, the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly will have nine seats set aside for legislators from scheduled tribes and seven seats designated for members of scheduled castes. The current number of seats in the legislature is eighty three which will be increased to 90. Additional aspects include the lieutenant governors authority to propose the appointment of two members, one of whom must be a woman, from the community of Kashmiri migrants for the legislative assembly. Additionally, one nominee will represent displaced people from Jammu and Kashmir, which is under Pakistani occupation. Reportedly, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 will help to build Naya Kashmir on the second day of debate in the lower house of the parliament. Furthermore, he said that this will provide justice to the deprived people. Why opposition opposes the billIn yesterdays discussion, several opposition members spoke out against the bills passage arguing that it shouldnt be passed as the Supreme Courts judgment on the J&K Reorganisation Act 2019s legality and the abrogation of Article 370 is awaited. The opposition questioned why J&K has not held elections in the four years since the regions special status was revoked.
