KANGAN (GANDERBAL): In a significant election promise, Syed Jamat Ali Shah, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Kangan, has vowed to ensure that all residents of the Kangan constituency receive Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservation benefits, similar to those enjoyed by residents of the Guraz and Kargil constituencies.
Following the recent delimitation, Kangan has been reserved for ST, with around 43% of its population belonging to various communities that already receive ST benefits. These include 6% Shina, 30% Gujars, and 5% Pahari communities and 2% Balti community.
However, the majority of the population, comprising 57% of non-ST Kashmiris, have been deprived of these benefits, leading to widespread outrage and anger among the non-ST population.
During his election campaign in Gund, Ganderbal late Night on Friday Syed Jamat Ali Shah emphasized that his primary aim is to secure ST reservation status for all communities residing in the Kangan constituency. He argued that this move would provide justice to all and bring numerous benefits to the local population. These benefits include reserved seats in educational institutions and government jobs, which can significantly uplift the socio-economic status of the residents.
The Kangan constituency, currently classified as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) constituency, has become a focal point for political parties aiming to attract non-ST voters, who form the majority.
It is important to note that during the recent delimitation process, several Scheduled Tribe (S.T) populated localities from Lar tehsil, which have a significant number of S.T voters, were included in the Kangan Assembly segment. In contrast, many non-S.T populated localities were excluded from Kangan and incorporated into the nearby Ganderbal Assembly constituency. As a result, the number of S.T voters in the Kangan Assembly segment has increased compared to the previous elections held in 2014. However, despite this change, the non-S.T population in Kangan still outnumbers the total S.T population in the segment.

Sheikh Anees