Jharkhand cabinet gives nod for panel to conduct 'triple test' to decide OBC quota in civic polls

The Jharkhand cabinet on Monday gave the nod to set up a dedicated commission to conduct a "triple test" to decide on OBC reservation in urban local body polls.

The opposition parties, mainly AJSU Party, have been demanding a "triple test" before holding ULB polls. The civic polls are pending in many areas including Ranchi.

The "triple test" includes setting up a dedicated commission to conduct an inquiry into the nature and implications of the backwardness in connection with local bodies.

The second condition is to specify the proportion of reservation required to be provisioned in the local bodies as per the commission's recommendations.

The third test is that the reservation should not exceed 50 per cent of the seats reserved in favour of SCs, STs, and OBCs taken together.

"The cabinet gave its approval to set up a dedicated commission for the purpose of reviewing the eligibility for reservations to backward classes," Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel said.

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The commission is being set up in light of a judgement given by the Supreme Court.

The apex court, in March 2021, had laid down the triple test that state governments need to satisfy before they notify quotas for OBCs in local body elections.

Urban Development Secretary Vinay Kumar Choubey told PTI, "The dedicated commission will conduct a survey, review and submit its report as soon as possible. We want to conduct the civic body polls at the earliest."

As many as 43 proposals were cleared by the cabinet on Monday. It gave its approval to also set up a medical college and hospital on the land given for establishing Ajim Premji University.

The cabinet approved the proposal of setting up a 300-bed hospital by the Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) under corporate social responsibility (CSR) at Mahagama in Godda district at a cost of Rs 307.44 crore.

Jharkhand's 6,850 Anganwadi Centres will be developed as Saksham Anganwadi and Rs 1 lakh each will be given for development of Poshan Vatika (nutrition garden) and Varsha Jal Sanchai (rainwater harvesting) and LED screen. Besides, the cabinet also gave its approval to the proposal of the Labour Department to allow women to work night shifts.