In the backdrop of the eagerly awaited special session of Parliament and the rallying cry for “One Country, One Election,” an impending storm brews on the political horizon, centered around the Justice Rohini Commission’s report on the sub-categorization of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). This pivotal report, submitted to President Draupadi Murmu in July, could serve as a potential political trump card, impacting the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in significant ways.
Comprising over 40% of the nation’s total voters, the OBC electorate stands at the epicenter of this burgeoning political maelstrom, primed for intense debates and strategic maneuvering by political stakeholders.
The commission was established in 2017 under the guidance of retired Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, G. Rohini, with three core objectives:
1. Identification and sub-categorization of OBCs.
2. Examination of disparities within the OBC community regarding the benefits derived from reservation policies.
3. Formulation of equitable methods, bases, and criteria for the distribution of benefits among OBCs.
The driving force behind the commission’s inception was the sheer magnitude of OBC voters in India. This vast category comprises thousands of castes and sub-castes, some reaping the rewards of reservations, while others languish on the fringes, hindered by limited economic, educational, and social standing.
Historically, only two commissions have been established under Article 340 of the Constitution: the Kalelkar Commission and, more recently, the Rohini Commission. The Mandal Commission, which followed Kalelkar, played a seminal role in granting 27% reservation in central government jobs and higher education to the 52% OBC population.
With OBC voters representing over 40% of the Indian electorate, no political entity can afford to ignore this substantial voting bloc in today’s intricate political landscape.
In addition to upper-class support, the BJP successfully garnered OBC backing in previous elections. The BJP, having confronted the Mandal Commission’s influence in the 1990s, recognizes the pivotal role played by OBC votes in the formation and victory of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Hence, the BJP is keen on revisiting its successful strategy with the OBCs, endeavoring to secure an unobstructed path to victory.
Intriguing Details of the Justice Rohini Commission Report
The extensive 1,100-page report comprises two key sections. The first section addresses the equitable distribution of the OBC reservation quota, while the second section delves deeply into data and statistics pertaining to the identification of 2,633 backward castes in India, their proportional representation in the population, and the benefits accrued from reservation policies to date.
Significantly, this report could usher in profound changes to the theoretical framework and practical implementation of the OBC reservation policy that has persisted for four decades.
Insiders familiar with the report’s contents reveal that the Commission underscores its intent not to establish a new hierarchy among OBCs but rather to ensure equal opportunities by placing all castes and sub-castes on an equitable footing, thus highlighting the paramount importance of caste equality.
As this political intrigue unfolds, it is poised to leave an indelible mark on the Indian political landscape, shaping the contours of electoral strategies and debates in the run-up to the 2024 elections.
