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OBC body demands 34% political reservation, plans Delhi march
Vijayawada: The All India OBC Welfare Association has demanded 34% political reservation for Other Backward Classes in local bodies, state assemblies and Parliament. The association urged the Centre to introduce a constitutional amendment during the ongoing Parliament session.
Association president Angirekula Varaprasad Yadav said OBCs make up nearly 54% of the population and need proportional representation. He called for an OBC Reservation Bill, a Rs 15,000 crore welfare allocation for traditional occupation communities, and a dedicated Artisans Welfare Scheme.
The group announced a nationwide ‘Chalo Delhi’ protest from August 5 to 7, urging BC public representatives, students and women to participate. Yadav also demanded a separate Union Ministry for OBCs and appealed to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to persuade Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support the proposed amendment.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The 34% demand matches the OBC population share in official backward-class commissions’ estimates, which the Supreme Court has cited to uphold state-level reservations where data exists. The Constitution already allows political reservation for OBCs under Article 15(4) and 16(4), but a separate amendment is required for legislative bodies after the 73rd and 74th Amendments capped local-body reservation at 50%. Previous attempts, such as the 2021 Bill in Rajasthan, were stalled by legal challenges over creamy-layer exclusion. The ‘Chalo Delhi’ on August 5, 7 will test whether the ruling NDA, which includes OBC-vote-reliant allies like the TDP, can deliver a constitutional majority in both Houses. Watch for whether the government introduces a bill before the session ends or defers it to the Winter Session.
Source: thehansindia.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
