New Delhi, July 10 (IANS). The Rajasthan OBC Commission will begin a statewide door-to-door survey of Other Backward Class (OBC) families from Friday to assess reservation requirements for the upcoming Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections.
The survey is scheduled to continue till July 23, after which the commission will collate 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 it is necessary to finalize the OBC reservation quota before holding the elections.
The OBC Commission has warned the state government that the ongoing process of transfers related to government employees may disrupt work and lead to delays in submission of reports.
In a letter to the Chief Secretary, the Commission mentioned that the state has allowed transfers till Friday and employees of various departments, including those appointed for survey work, are being transferred.
The Commission warned that if census enumerators and other personnel involved in this work are transferred and relieved from their present posts, the survey may be adversely affected, resulting in delay in completing the report.
As per the directions of the Supreme Court, the Commission has been entrusted with the task of preparing recommendations on OBC reservation for elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies.
The commission is expected to submit its report by the second week of August. After receiving the report, the State Election Commission may announce the election schedule by the end of August or September and the Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections are 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, now it seems difficult to adhere to this deadline, as the government says that elections cannot be held until the OBC reservation is decided through the commission’s report.
–IANS
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