President Of India Promulgates Ordinance Amending J&K Reservation Act For Implementing 85% Reservations In UT of Ladakh

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, on June 2, promulgated the amendment ordinance for the Jammu & Kashmir Reservation Act 2004 to implement 85% reservation in the Union Territory of Ladakh, excluding 10% EWS quota. 

The Ordinance, namely the Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation 2025, specifically extend to the Union Territory of Ladakh. 

The amendment substitutes S.3 (1) of the Reservation Act 2004 with the following : 

"Provided that the total percentage of reservation shall in no case exceed 85%, excluding reservation for Economically Weaker Sections".

Notably, S.3 of the Act lays down the list of persons/categories entitled to reservation in appointments and admissions under the Act. 

The original S.3 (1) before the amendment stated : 

Except as otherwise provided hereinafter, available vacancies to the extent as may be notified by the Government from time to time shall be reserved for appointment by direct recruitment from amongst the person belonging to- 

(a) Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes which shall not exceed the ratio and proportion as the population of each such category bears to the total population of the State as per the latest available census ;

(b) socially and educationally 3[backward classes ; and]

[(c) economically weaker sections :]

Provided that [the total percentage of reservation provided in clauses (a) and (b) shall in no case exceed 50% 

The ordinance also amends other provisions of the Act, including S.5(4) (on vacancies to be carried forward); S.6 (reservation in promotions) and S.9(1) (reservation in professional institutions). 

In the above provisions of S.6 and S.9, too, the Ordinance specifies that the reservations shall not exceed 85%, excluding the reservation for the EWS. 

In S. 5(4), it specifies that nothing in the clause would apply to the EWS and filling up of vacancies will be done in the manner as may be prescribed. 

The Ordinance can be read here.