Rajasthan OBC survey to begin from July 10; Commission seeks smooth deployment of staff
Jaipur, July 9
The Rajasthan OBC Commission will begin a statewide door-to-door survey of Other Backward Class families from July 10 to assess reservation requirements for the upcoming Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Body elections. The survey is scheduled to continue until July 23, after which the Commission will compile its findings and submit a report to the state government.
The State Election Commission is expected to announce the election schedule only after receiving the Commission's report, as OBC reservation quotas must be finalised before the polls can be conducted.
The OBC Commission has cautioned the state government that the ongoing transfer exercise involving government employees could disrupt the survey process and delay submission of the report.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary, the Commission noted that the state has permitted transfers until July 10 and that employees from various departments, including those assigned to survey duties, are being transferred. The Commission warned that if enumerators and other personnel involved in the exercise are transferred and relieved from their current postings, the survey could be adversely affected, resulting in delays in completing the report.
Acting in accordance with Supreme Court directives, the Commission has been tasked with preparing recommendations on OBC reservation for elections to Panchayati Raj institutions and Urban Local Bodies. District Collectors across Rajasthan have appointed nodal officers, assistant nodal officers and enumerators to carry out the online and door-to-door survey. The exercise will collect data from OBC households across the state between July 10 and July 23.
The Commission is expected to submit its report by the second week of August. Once the report is received, the State Election Commission may announce the election schedule by late August or September, with both Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Body elections likely to be completed by November.
The Rajasthan High Court had directed the state government to conduct Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Body elections by July 31. However, the deadline now appears difficult to meet, as the government maintains that elections cannot be held until OBC reservation is determined through the Commission's report.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Sanyam Lodha has filed a contempt petition in the High Court over the delay.
Anticipating a government plea seeking additional time for the elections, Lodha has also filed a caveat, ensuring that he is heard before any order extending the deadline is passed.
It may be noted that the Rajasthan government has extended the exemption period for transfers by five more days. The exemption for transfers in government departments has now been extended until July 10. Earlier, on June 9, the government had lifted the ban on transfers until July 5.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Bureaucrats and their transfer game! 🙄 Every time there's a critical survey, staff get shuffled. OBC reservation is important, but so is timely elections. The government needs to get its act together.
Supreme Court has made it clear - OBC quota in local body elections is non-negotiable. Good that Rajasthan is doing a door-to-door survey. But why are we still debating this in 2024? Every state should have this data already!
As someone from Rajasthan, I appreciate the effort to ensure proper representation. But the timing is suspicious - just ahead of elections? Also, hope they don't use this data for political games. The process should be transparent.
This is a step in the right direction for social justice. But the bureaucracy's transfer merry-go-round is a classic Indian problem - they move employees just when they're needed most! 😤 Government should freeze transfers until survey is done.
Election commission should have done this homework earlier. Now they're scrambling while High Court is breathing down their neck. Congress leader's contempt petition might force them to act fast. Let's see what happens.
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