The Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh has convened a Cabinet meeting on December 2 to discuss the issue of OBC (Other Backward Classes) reservation, which will play a crucial role in determining the schedule for upcoming urban local body and panchayat elections. The meeting will focus on reviewing the report submitted by the Other Backward Classes Welfare Commission regarding OBC reservation. A decision to approve the report could pave the way for the announcement of election dates by the State Election Commission post-December 15.

BJP Reviews Election Preparations

On November 30, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) conducted a review meeting for urban local body and three-tier panchayat elections in Bastar, Sarguja, and Bilaspur divisions. The meeting was held at the party's state headquarters, Kushabhau Thakre Parisar in Raipur. Key participants included Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, BJP State In-Charge Nitin Nabin, State President Kiran Singh Dev, Union Minister of State Tokhan Sahu, BJP State General Secretary Pawan Sai, along with other senior party leaders, legislators, and office-bearers.

OBC Reservation in Urban and Panchayat Elections

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced that the Cabinet would discuss the OBC reservation issue based on the Welfare Commission's report. The commission's findings are expected to lead to the approval of the OBC reservation, which will subsequently enable the State Election Commission to announce the election schedule after December 15. The commission's report recommends that OBC reservation, which was initially set at 25%, should be increased to a maximum of 50%. However, for constituencies where the total reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) exceeds 50%, no OBC reservation will be applicable. In constituencies where SC/ST reservation is less than 50%, OBCs will be eligible for a maximum reservation of 50%, which will not exceed the OBC population in those areas.

Deciding Reserved Seats Based on Population

Reserved seats for positions like district panchayat president, mayor of municipal corporations, and chairperson of municipal councils will be determined based on the total population of the respective local body. The State Election Commission will implement the reservation formula after the Cabinet's decision. The formation of the Other Backward Classes Commission was mandated by the Supreme Court, which carried out a survey to assess OBC reservation. Based on the findings, the state government will determine the exact reservation limit. After the Cabinet's decision, the matter will be forwarded to the Governor’s office, which will issue an ordinance, allowing the election process to proceed.

Election Commission Readiness

The State Election Commission is fully prepared to conduct the elections, with arrangements for EVMs in urban areas and ballots in rural areas. The tender process for ballot papers has already been initiated across districts. Lottery System for Reservation of Seats Once the OBC reservation limit is finalized, the Urban Administration Department will conduct a lottery to determine the reservation status of various posts, including councillors, mayors, district panchayat presidents, and municipal chairpersons.

This will serve as the basis for the Election Commission to hold the elections. With the OBC reservation issue now nearing resolution, the much-awaited urban and panchayat elections in Chhattisgarh are expected to move forward soon, with the potential for the Model Code of Conduct to be enforced after December 15.