Srinagar, Oct. 28 -- The government has, for the first time, released district-wise data on caste and category certificates issued across Jammu and Kashmir, revealing a deep regional imbalance that places the Jammu division far ahead of Kashmir in the reserved category population.

The figures, tabled in the Assembly in response to a question by PDP MLA Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, show that Jammu accounts for nearly 90 per cent of all reserved category certifications issued in the past two years. The data has reignited the debate over the Union Territory's new reservation policy, which has already been challenged in the High Court.

According to the Revenue Department, a total of 7.65 lakh Scheduled Tribe (ST), 70,268 Scheduled Caste (SC), 76,...