Gujjar-Bakerwals against nine new MLAs taking oath; seek J&K LG’s intervention [Video]

Annoyed over the decision of the Election Commission of India to allow members of the ethnic Pahari-speaking tribe to contest elections on the seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes (ST), Gujjars and Bakerwals on Sunday announced to approach the Supreme Court to stop nine newly elected MLAs on these constituencies from taking the oaths.

Addressing a press conference, the chairman of the All Jammu and Kashmir Gujjar-Bakerwal Co-ordination Committee, Mohammad Anwar Choudhary, said that the recently held elections in Jammu and Kashmir violate constitutional provisions.

He said that nine constituencies namely Surankote, Mendhar, Budhal, Thanamandi, Rajouri, Gulabgarh, Kangan, Kokarnag, and Gurez were reserved only for Scheduled Tribe people who were declared Scheduled Tribe in 1991.

He claimed that these above nine constituencies were reserved on the Delimitation Commission’s recommendation made in 2022 according to the last census held in 2011.

He further said that some other people were declared ST in the …