Jaipur: Congress MLA Harish Chowdhary demanded an increase in the OBC reservation from 21% to 27% in a letter to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday.

"On the lines of central services and in accordance with the order of the Honorable Supreme Court, the reservation of the OBC class should be extended from 21 percent to 27 percent in proportion to the population in Rajasthan," Harish wrote in a letter to CM Gehlot.

The Congress MLA also noted in the letter that although OBCs make up more than 50% of the population in Rajasthan, only 21% of state government jobs are reserved for them.

"Due to several abnormalities, even this number decreases. Notably, the Central Government granted OBCs a 27% reservation in government services in 1992 on the Mandal Commission's recommendation; Rajasthan also adopted this policy. However, in the 1992 case of Indra Sawhney & Others v. Union of India, the Supreme Court upheld a 50% reservation cap " as per Chowdhary's letter.

The Congress leader added that the 103rd Constitutional Amendment, which took effect in 2019, eliminated the requirement of a maximum reservation by giving the economically disadvantaged groups a 10% reservation.

He further added in the letter as under: "Since then, along with  Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu, the reservation of OBC has been increased in Madhya Pradesh as well. Accordingly, the reservation of OBC class should be increased from 21% to 27% in government services and educational institutions in proportion to the population in Rajasthan, so that justice can be done to this class." 

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