Rajasthan MLA writes to Ashok Gehlot, demands increase in OBC reservation

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], February 14 (ANI): Congress MLA Harish Chowdhary on Tuesday wrote to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot demanding an increase in OBC reservation from 21 per cent to 27 per cent.

In a letter addressed to CM Gehlot, Harish said, “On the lines of central services and according to the decision of the Honorable Supreme Court, the reservation of OBC class should be increased from 21 percent to 27 percent in proportion to the population in Rajasthan.” The Congress MLA further stated in the letter that Rajasthan has more than 50 per cent OBC population but the reservation for OBCs in state government services is only 21 per cent.

“Even this number gets reduced due to various anomalies. Significantly, on the recommendation of the Mandal Commission, in 1992, the Central Government gave 27 per cent reservation in government services to the OBC, and that was implemented in Rajasthan also. But in 1992, in the Indra Sawhney & Others v. Union of India case, the Supreme Court kept the maximum limit of reservation up to 50 per cent,” Chowdhary said in the letter.

The Congress leader added that under the 103rd Constitutional Amendment in 2019, the compulsion of maximum reservation was abolished by providing 10 per cent reservation to the economically backward classes.

“Since then, along with Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu, the reservation of OBC has been increased in Madhya Pradesh as well. Accordingly, the reservation of OBC class should be increased from 21 per cent to 27 per cent in government services and educational institutions in proportion to the population in Rajasthan, so that justice can be done to this class,” he further added in the letter.