Rajasthan High Court Questions OBC Reservation in Zila Pramukh Posts
Court Seeks Government's Clarification on OBC Seats
Photo: @ians_india/X
Jaipur, Sep 3: The Rajasthan High Court has requested a response from the state government regarding a petition that contests the allocation of reserved seats for Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the upcoming Panchayati Raj elections for Zila Pramukh positions.
A bench led by Justice Anoop Dhand heard the petition filed by Radheram Godara and issued notices to the state authorities and relevant parties for their input.
During the proceedings, the Court raised concerns about the static number of OBC-reserved Zila Pramukh posts, despite an increase in the overall positions available.
In 2020, five out of 33 Zila Pramukh posts were designated for OBC candidates. However, with the total number of posts rising to 41, the OBC reservation has not changed.
The Court has demanded an explanation from the government regarding the lack of proportional representation for OBCs.
Additionally, the High Court instructed the petitioner's legal team to share the petition with the Additional Advocate General and the Government Advocate for the Panchayati Raj Department.
The case is scheduled for a follow-up hearing on September 8.
The petitioners' lawyers, Arvind Sharma and Anand Sharma, contended that the increase in Zila Pramukh posts from 33 to 41 was a result of district reorganization and the establishment of new districts.
They argue that this increase necessitates a recalibration of OBC reservations in accordance with existing regulations, while ensuring that the total reservation remains within the 50 percent limit set by the Supreme Court.
The petitioners also emphasized the need for equitable representation of OBC candidates within the Panchayati Raj framework.
Furthermore, the petition raises issues concerning the OBC Commission's report, which has not been disclosed by the government. The petitioners referenced media reports indicating that the government itself questions the report's accuracy. The report remains unpublished.
The petitioners have also challenged the rationale behind the current 16 percent OBC reservation, asserting that it should be higher. They noted that OBCs received an 18 percent reservation in 2020 and argued that, based on their calculations, the number of OBC-reserved Zila Pramukh posts should rise to seven out of the 41 available positions.
The High Court has yet to make a decision on the validity of these claims and is awaiting the government's response before taking further action.