UP government forms five-member OBC panel for reservation in panchayat polls
Retired Allahabad HC judge appointed chairman, panel to submit recommendations within six months
The move comes after the Yogi Adityanath cabinet recently approved the formation of the dedicated commission in line with constitutional provisions and court-mandated requirements for determining OBC reservation in local body polls.
In a late-night decision, the Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday constituted a five-member State Rural Local Bodies Dedicated Backward Classes Commission to examine and recommend reservation for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in Panchayati Raj institutions ahead of the upcoming panchayat elections.
According to a notification issued by the Panchayati Raj Department, retired Allahabad High Court judge Justice Ram Autar Singh has been appointed chairman of the commission. The commission has been constituted under the provisions of a government notification dated May 18. The other members of the panel include retired additional district judges Brijesh Kumar and Santosh Kumar Vishwakarma, along with retired IAS officers Dr Arvind Kumar Chaurasiya and S P Singh.
The notification stated that the commission will function for a period of six months from the date the members assume charge of office. Separate orders regarding honorarium, allowances and other facilities for the chairperson and members will be issued later.
The move comes after the Yogi Adityanath cabinet recently approved the formation of the dedicated commission in line with constitutional provisions and court-mandated requirements for determining OBC reservation in local body polls.
The commission is expected to conduct an empirical inquiry into the representation of backward classes in rural local bodies and recommend the extent of reservation to be provided in panchayat elections across the state.
The development is significant as the panchayat polls will be seen as a crucial test ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with OBC voters remaining a key electoral bloc for all major parties.
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