• The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2019, was promulgated on March 1, 2019. The Ordinance amends the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Act, 2004.  The Act provides for reservation in appointment and admission in professional institutions for persons belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and socially and educationally backward classes.  
   
• Extension of reservation in appointment: The Act provides for reservation in appointment to state government posts to persons belonging to socially and educationally backward classes.  It defines socially and educationally backward classes to include persons living in areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control.  The Ordinance amends this to include those persons living in areas adjoining International Border, within the ambit of this reservation. 
   
• Further, the Act states that any person who has been appointed on the basis of residence in an area adjoining the Line of Control, must serve in such areas for at least seven years. The Ordinance extends this condition to persons living in areas adjoining the International Border as well.
   
• Exclusion from reservation: The Act states that any person whose annual income exceeds three lakh rupees or other amount as notified by the state government, would not be included within socially and educationally backward classes.  However, this exclusion does not apply to persons living in areas adjoining the Actual Line of Control.  The Ordinance states that in addition, this exclusion will not apply to persons living in areas adjoining the International Border also.     

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