Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council Adjourned Amid Heated Debate Over Reservation Norms
The proceedings of the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council) were abruptly halted on Tuesday, leading to a 15-minute adjournment. This disruption occurred following intense protests by members of the Samajwadi Party (SP), who leveled serious allegations against the state government regarding violations of reservation norms in ongoing government recruitments.
Samajwadi Party Members Storm the Well, Accuse Government of Flouting Rules
The situation escalated when SP legislators, dissatisfied with the justification provided by Leader of the House and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, stormed into the well of the House. Their protest forced the presiding officer to adjourn the session temporarily to restore order.
The matter was formally raised under Rule 105 by SP member Ashutosh Sinha. He launched a scathing attack on the government's recruitment processes, accusing them of lacking transparency and being plagued by frequent exam cancellations due to paper leaks. Sinha presented specific examples to substantiate his claims.
Specific Allegations of Reservation Shortfalls- For the recruitment of Health Education Officers, against a mandated 60 seats reserved for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), only 20 positions were advertised.
- For the post of Veterinary Officer, where 110 seats should have been advertised with appropriate reservations, none were reportedly advertised at all.
Another SP legislator, Man Singh Yadav, reinforced these allegations. He argued that repeated errors in vacancy advertisements cast serious doubt on the government's intentions. Yadav cited the Uttar Pradesh OBC Commission, which had itself highlighted discrepancies in teacher recruitment processes.
"The situation has reached such an absurd level that there was an instance where one candidate was interviewed, but an entirely different individual was ultimately recruited," Yadav stated emphatically.He further pointed to data from 31 state universities, revealing a stark imbalance: while the reservation policy mandates 27% for OBCs, they currently occupy only 6.45% of teaching positions. In contrast, candidates from the general category hold 87.09% of these seats.
Government's Response and Assurance
In response to the barrage of accusations, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya acknowledged that some discrepancies had indeed occurred in past recruitment advertisements. However, he strongly defended the government's commitment to upholding reservation policies.
"Our government is fully dedicated to ensuring that every reservation category is filled according to the law. We will not permit any injustice to any group," Maurya asserted.
He outlined corrective measures already undertaken, including personally summoning officials from the personnel department to rectify errors in an advertisement for lekhpals. Furthermore, on December 30, 2025, the Chief Secretary issued a directive ordering all government departments to re-assess their staffing requirements and submit accurate, reservation-compliant breakdowns of vacancies.
"I can confidently state that no incorrect advertisement has been released following this directive," Maurya declared, challenging the opposition's claims. He also gave assurances that specific recruitment advertisements for positions such as PGI doctors, medical education officers, and veterinary officers would be thoroughly reviewed to ensure compliance.
The adjournment underscored the deepening political tensions in Uttar Pradesh over the sensitive issue of reservation in government jobs, a matter that continues to spark fierce legislative debate.
