In a revealing analysis shared on social media, Peoples Conference President and MLA Handwara Sajad Lone has highlighted stark regional imbalances in the issuance of reservation certificates across Jammu and Kashmir, terming the findings a “shocker.”
According to data received through a question posed by Lone, from April 1, 2023, Jammu region has dominated certificate issuance across nearly all categories. Scheduled Caste certificates were issued exclusively in Jammu (67,112 certificates, 100%), with none issued in Kashmir.
“The Scheduled Tribe category showed Jammu issuing 459,493 certificates (85.3%), while Kashmir issued only 79,813 (14.7%). Similar imbalances exist in Economically Weaker Sections (92.3% Jammu, 7.7% Kashmir), Actual Line of Control (94.3% Jammu, 5.7% Kashmir) and International Border categories (100% Jammu). Even in the Reserved Backward Area category, Jammu led with 52.8% of certificates versus Kashmir’s 48.2%,” he wrote.
Lone emphasized that these disparities reveal a greater loss of quotas to the Kashmiri-speaking population than previously anticipated, asserting that “the whole reservation concept is rigged against the Kashmiri speaking population and against ST or EWS living in Kashmir.”
He noted that even ST populations residing in Kashmir are disadvantaged, comprising only 15% of total applicants from the ST pool.
“While RBA figures appear more balanced, Lone pointed out that when adjusted for Kashmir’s approximately 7% larger population, the region still lags behind Jammu proportionally,” he added.
Lone also criticized the committee established by the government on December 10, 2024, to address these grievances, noting it lacks a specific timeline for submitting its report despite previous indications of a six-month deadline.
