Governor of Uttarakhand Lt. Gen (retd) Gurmit Singh gave the nod to a Bill that gives 30% reservation to the native women of the State.
With the Governor’s nod to Uttarakhand Public Services (Horizontal Reservation for Women) Bill, 2022, the women candidates with Uttarakhand State domicile got the legal right of 30% reservation in public services and posts, a statement from the State government issued on January 10, 2023, said.
“Heartfelt gratitude to the Governor for approving the women reservation Bill. This will surely play an important role in women empowerment in the State,” said Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami
During the winter session of the State Assembly, Uttarakhand government had passed 14 Bills, including the anti-conversion and reservation for native women. They were later sent to Governor House for approval. Of these, 12 Bills have been approved so far.
According to sources, the government took over a month’s time to give the nod to the women reservation Bill. “The Governor got the Bill examined by legal experts before approving it,” said a senior official from the Governor office.
On July 24, 2006, the Congress government lead by Narayan Dutt Tiwari had issued an order for 30% horizontal reservation for women of Uttarakhand in State government jobs. The government at that time maintained that due to the geographical structure, the standard of living of the women of Uttarakhand is below than the women of other States. Their participation is very little in every sector, including the government jobs, due to which a special reservation for native women should be at place.
The same order was challenged in Nainital High Court by a bunch of women petitioners from Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
On 26 August 2022, the High Court stayed the mandate of reservation during the hearing of a petition as it was submitted by the counsel for the petitioners that the State government does not have the power to provide reservation based on the residence of the State. The Constitution of India only allows the Parliament to make reservations on the basis of domicile. “The 2006 order of the State government is in violation of Articles 14, 16, 19 and 21 of the Constitution,” the petitioner said.
On November 4, 2022, the Supreme Court stayed the order of the High Court in the hearing on the government’s special leave petition (SLP). On November 29, 2022, the government introduced the Bill in the House, which was passed on November 30.
Published - January 10, 2023 03:34 pm IST
