Gujjars, Bakerwals demand Halt to oath-taking of 9 ‘illegal’ MLAs
Jammu: Gujjars and Bakerwals in Jammu and Kashmir have demanded a halt to the oath-taking ceremony of nine MLAs elected from Scheduled Tribe reserved seats.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the Gujjars and Bakerwals claim the Election Commission of India erred in allowing Pahari-speaking tribe members to contest elections on these seats, which were reserved for ST individuals declared in 1991, based on the 2011 census.
They claim the Election Commission of India’s decision to allow Pahari-speaking tribe members to contest elections on these seats is illegal and violates constitutional provisions.
At the heart of the issue are nine constituencies – Surankote, Mendhar, Budhal, Thanamandi, Rajouri, Gulabgarh, Kangan, Kokarnag, and Gurez – reserved for ST individuals since 1991, based on the 2011 census. However, with additional communities granted ST status in 2024, Gujjar leaders argue that new ST individuals shouldn’t contest elections on reserved seats without a fresh census.
Mohammad Anwar Choudhary, chairman of the All Jammu and Kashmir Gujjar-Bakerwal Co-ordination Committee, asserts the Chief Electoral Officer and District Election Officers erred in accepting nomination papers from ineligible candidates.
The Gujjar community threatened to move the court if their grievances aren’t addressed.
