Chhattisgarh govt to introduce reservation bill within two days: Baghel

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday said that the reservation bill will be introduced in the assembly in the next two days.

"We have not only provisioned 32% (reservation) for tribals but 27% for OBC too. For the SC, we have provisioned 13% and 4% for EWS. It (the reservation bill) will be introduced in the state assembly in the next two days," Baghel said while addressing a public rally in Kanker.

Earlier, a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel approved the two amended bills on the reservation issue in the state.

The amended bills will be introduced in the special assembly session that will be held on December 1 and 2.

The cabinet meeting was held at CM's residence on Thursday. Agriculture minister Ravindra Chaubey said that the total reservation in the state would rise to 76 per cent after the bill gets passed by the assembly.

Choubey said that the bills were approved in respect of the Chhattisgarh Public Service (Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes Reservation) Amendment Act and the amendment related to admission in educational institutions. The reservation will be based on the population data (OBC and EWS) provided by the commission.

Notably, the reservation issue flared up in the state after the Chhattisgarh High Court dismissed its 2012 order increasing the reservation in education and jobs to 58 per cent (SC 12 per cent, OBC 14 per cent, ST 32 per cent) in the state. The High Court had said that the violation of the 50 per cent quota limit is unconstitutional. The HC order reduced the reservation for ST from the existing 32 per cent to 20 per cent.