SAD to Reserve 50% Posts for Youth

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on 14 Nov announced the party would ‘reward merit’ and offer fifty percent reservation on all posts to youngsters. Launching the global youth membership drive of the Youth Akali Dal (YAD) under the aegis of the Panjab Di Shaan, Saade Naujawan programme, Badal said that those young men and women who facilitate the registration of 250 members will be appointed as youth delegates. These delegates will play a key role in the formation of the youth body. Those who register 2,000 members through their recommendation will also be appointed District presidents. The membership drive is to be completed by 31 Dec this year. The SAD leader said the age limit for the district level body and the state body are 35 and 40 years, respectively. He said presently as many as 35 former YAD leaders have been appointed as halqa in charge (political constituency in charge). He also announced that the youth will be given a larger role in the Lok Sabha election campaign with three senior vice presidents, three vice presidents and three general secretaries being appointed for each Lok Sabha seat. Since the sacrilege incidents in 2015 and their repercussions in two elections, the SAD has been trying to reinvent itself but without much success. SAD even tried such measures in the Diaspora but they did not work out – most leaders are over 50 years of age.