Cabinet sub-committee report on reservation policy in J&K accepted: CM Omar Abdullah

J&K CM Omar Abdullah (Courtesy: PTI photo)

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the Cabinet sub-committee report on the reservation policy in the Union Territory has been accepted by the Cabinet and will be forwarded to the lieutenant governor for approval.

"There is no point in getting into speculations. The only people who know what has been proposed in this are the members of the Cabinet. And therefore, to speculate about what is being slashed, what is being cut, would not be correct at this point in time. The Cabinet sub-committee's report has been accepted by the Cabinet. The department has been asked to prepare a memo for the Cabinet's approval. This will then go to the LG (for approval) as all Cabinet decisions go," Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.

The chief minister was responding to questions about opposition accusing his government of slashing the quota of RBA (resident of backward area) category in the reservation policy.

He said it would be inappropriate for him to comment on the contents of the report before it reaches the Raj Bhawan. "For me now, before the memo has reached the LG, to start discussing the contents of that memo would be incorrect," he said.

He said the reservation report will be announced only after the lieutenant governor approves it. Asked about some sections demanding that the report be made public, the chief minister said it does not work that way.

"No government works under pressure, and I am the last person who you can pressurise to do something. There is a procedure, and that is being followed. It is not only impropriety, it is bordering on illegal to release the information that has not even reached the LG," he added.