NC MP demands J-K govt release reservation report by Sunday

Srinagar, Oct 18 (PTI) National Conference (NC) Lok Sabha MP Ruhullah Mehdi has demanded that the Jammu and Kashmir government make public the report of the cabinet sub-committee on reservation by Sunday.

The sub-committee has submitted its report, and the department concerned has been asked to draft a memo which will be approved by the cabinet and then sent to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for his approval.

However, Mehdi, who has been estranged from his party for some time now, has given a deadline of Sunday for the report to be made public.

Mehdi's deadline came after a student delegation met him at his residence in Budgam.

"Before any call is taken on the Budgam by-election, the Reservation Sub-Committee Report must be made public and shared with stakeholders by tomorrow," Mehdi said on his official handle on X.

He said all channels of communication shall remain open with the students' representatives.

"Any future decision will be guided by the contents of the report," the MP said.

Earlier on Saturday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the reservation report will be announced only after the lieutenant governor approves it.

Asked about the demands for the report to be made public, the chief minister told a press conference here that 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. PTI SSB AMJ AMJ