BJP alleges reduction in SC reservation in Jharkhand urban bodies

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday alleged that the Jharkhand government had reduced Scheduled Caste (SC) reservation in urban local body elections, thereby limiting Dalit representation in civic institutions.

Former Leader of Opposition Amar Kumar Bauri said the government led by Chief Minister Hemant Soren had moved away from its stated commitment to social justice. He alleged that despite repeated concerns raised by the opposition, the condition of the SC community in the state continued to remain unsatisfactory.

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Bauri said the seriousness of the issue was evident from the fact that a minister in the government had sought measures in writing to improve the situation of Scheduled Castes. He alleged that long-pending demands to support SC students pursuing higher education abroad had not been addressed and that welfare schemes had failed to adequately cover the SC population, estimated at nearly 50 lakh in Jharkhand.

Referring to urban local body elections being held following court directions, Bauri alleged that reservation for backward classes had been implemented on the basis of voter lists without adequate ground-level assessment, resulting in anomalies and affecting fair representation.

Citing Ranchi Municipal Corporation, he alleged that only two wards had been reserved for the SC category. He further alleged that different norms were being applied across municipal bodies, leading to unequal treatment of the SC community.

The BJP leader said the government was proceeding with election preparations under judicial timelines while overlooking the organised concerns of the SC community. He alleged that reduced Dalit participation in civic bodies was contrary to the spirit of the Constitution.

Bauri demanded transparency in the conduct of municipal elections to ensure equitable representation for all sections. He also alleged that several statutory and constitutional bodies, including the SC Commission, Women’s Commission, Child Commission, and the post of Information Commissioner, were yet to be constituted in the state.