Karnataka govt okays internal quota in SC communities, sets up commission
- The Karnataka Government has agreed to implement internal reservation for Scheduled Caste (SC) communities, and formed a one-man commission to ‘compile data’ and take further steps.
Highlights:
- The Karnataka Government has decided to implement internal reservation for SC communities, establishing a one-man commission to gather necessary data and proceed with implementation.
Key Details of the Commission:
- Announcement: The decision was made public after a Cabinet meeting. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil confirmed the commission would be led by a retired high court judge and would submit its report within three months.
- Recruitment Pause: Until the commission’s recommendations are submitted, new government job recruitment notifications will be halted.
Background and Legal Framework:
- Supreme Court Judgment: The internal reservation proposal aligns with a recent Supreme Court judgment, which emphasized the need for empirical data to support internal quotas for SC communities.
- Study of Telangana’s Model: Karnataka will refer to Telangana’s terms of reference for internal reservation to define parameters effectively.
- Past Legal Hurdles: Earlier, the Congress-led government stated that internal reservation could only proceed with an amendment to Article 341(3) of the Constitution, which specifies SC classifications.
Revisiting the Sadashiva Commission’s Findings:
- Previous Recommendations: The Sadashiva Commission, whose recommendations were rejected by the previous BJP government, suggested redistributing the 15% SC quota into sub-groups:
- 6% to SC left
- 5% to SC right
- 3% to Bhovi, Lambani, Koracha, and Korama communities
- 1% to other SC groups
- BJP’s 2023 Proposal: In March 2023, under then-Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, the BJP government increased SC reservations from 15% to 17% and introduced internal distribution:
- 6% to SC left (29 communities, including Madigas)
- 5.5% to SC right (25 communities, including Holeyas)
- 4.5% to touchable SC groups (Banjaras, Bhovis)
- 1% to other SC communities
Data Collection and Socio-Economic Survey Challenges:
- Empirical Data Requirement: The Supreme Court mandate for empirical data raises questions about the validity of the state’s socio-economic and educational survey data in legal contexts.
- Community Involvement: Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa emphasized that all 101 SC communities would be consulted to ensure the data represents their needs accurately.
Community Reactions and Concerns:
- Lambani Community Protests: Following the BJP's internal reservation proposal, Lambani community members protested, including a violent incident at former CM B.S. Yediyurappa’s residence. They expressed concerns about back-channel attempts to implement the Sadashiva Commission’s recommendations.
- Legal Issues: The previous BJP proposal faced delays due to legal complexities within Karnataka’s reservation structure, which may also affect the current proposal.
Prelims Takeaways
- Article 341(3) of the Constitution