PNS | DEHRADUN
BJP MLA Munna Singh Chauhan has strongly objected to the reservation of the Vikasnagar municipal council chairperson seat for the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. He claimed that in areas like Khatima, Dharchula, Nanakmatta, Munsiyari and Vikasnagar, where tribal populations exist, Vikasnagar has the lowest tribal demographic among the municipalities.
Despite this, Vikasnagar has been reserved for the ST category, while Khatima and Dharchula, which have larger tribal populations, remain unreserved. While speaking to mediapersons, Chauhan criticised the provisional reservation list issued by the Urban Development Directorate (UDD), asserting that the decision to reserve Vikasnagar for the ST category is unjustified given the relatively low tribal population in the region. He said that according to the guidelines issued under the recently approved OBC reservation ordinance for municipal elections, the government has provisionally allocated reservation categories for municipal corporations, councils and Nagar Panchayats.
However, Chauhan argued that Khatima and Dharchula have larger tribal populations but they remain unreserved. He termed the decision a serious mistake and stated that he will file a formal objection with the director of UDD, urging the authorities to revise the reservation status and leave Vikasnagar unreserved. He stated that the allocation should prioritise areas with higher tribal populations, such as Khatima and Dharchula, rather than Vikasnagar.
The MLA also warned that if his objection is not addressed within the seven-day period provided for feedback, he will consider approaching the High Court. He expressed his commitment to ensuring that reservation policies are implemented fairly and in alignment with the demographic data of the regions concerned.
