Representative image of a person casting vote.
Credit: PTI Photo
The Bhupendra Patel-led BJP government on Tuesday increased reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Gujarat's panchayats and urban bodies from existing 10 percent to 27 per cent, following recommendations of a commission.
The decision is said to be politically significant in view of the fact that OBCs constitute about 52 per cent of Gujarat's population. The decision is likely to help the BJP strengthen its base among the communities ahead of local body polls and 2024 General Elections.
The decision is likely to prompt BJP government to go for local body polls which had been postponed due to the Supreme Court order asking the states to give OBC reservation in proportion to their population.
Soon after the announcement, in a press conference at party headquarters in Gandhinagar CM Patel and BJP state president C R Paatil welcomed the decision.
They said that the OBCs have a population of 52 per cent consisting of 145 communities who will benefit from the decision. They said that BJP has about 50 legislators from these communities.
While announcing the decision, the cautious government emphasised that the hike will not affect existing quota for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The move comes days after the opposition Congress staged a protest demanding 27 per cent quota for OBCs and making the Jhaveri Commission's report public.
The state government said that its decision is based on recommendations from retired justice K S Jhaveri Commission which submitted its report in April this year.
Cabinet minister and government's spokesperson Rushikesh Patel said that a cabinet sub-committee recommended 27 per cent reservations for OBC in local bodies which was accepted by the Bhupendra Patel-led cabinet on Tuesday.
Replying to a question over the delay in accepting the recommendation, Patel said that the government took three months to "study" the recommendation.
Patel informed that there are 50 predominantly PESA notified areas in eight districts of Gujarat. Patel said the decision of hiking reservation for OBC will not affect reservation for Scheduled Castes (14 per cent) and Scheduled Tribes (7 per cent) in local bodies.