Controversial 'Inter-District Recruitment Bill' passed in J-K Assembly - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The controversial 'Inter-District Recruitment Bill' banning inter-district recruitment was passed in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Friday, with an amendment in favour of person belonging to the lower castes. The Bill exempts members of Scheduled Castes from its provisions, as they can now apply for jobs in other districts as well. The Bill restricts applicants to apply for jobs in their home districts only, which would affect the job opportunities of lower caste people of the Hindu-dominated Jammu region. The Bill had earlier generated a lot of anger among the residents of Jammu. The Panthers Party took credit for the amendment as it was mooted by it. "We wanted that eight percent of the seats should be reserved for Schedule Castes in every district of the state, so that the total reservation in the state would remain eight percent," said JKNPP leader Harshdev Singh. "We are happy that this amendment was agreed on and that Schedule Castes will now get eight percent reservation," he added. The opposition People's Democratic Party (PDP) also expressed its opinion about the amendment. "The vacancies at district level are eyed by the applicants of those districts. But the way the Amendment was bought into it, Schedule Castes are our brothers. In the whole country, they get their share in accordance to their population," said PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed. "But the way they have forced, bulldozed it, I think this is very unfortunate," she added. The Congress, which is in alliance with the ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir, is divided over the issue, as its Jammu-based legislators are opposed to the ban, while those from valley support it. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had called for a shutdown in the Jammu region on Friday against the state government's decision to pass the Bill.