Primary and Secondary Education Minister Basavaraj Horatti has expressed reservations over the proposed law banning award of corporal punishment to students. He favoured punishment within permissible limits.

Speaking after conferring the best teachers awards at the State-level Teachers’ Day function, he pointed out that the teachers punished the erring in the interest of children. “There are 1.10 lakh teachers in the State and if one or two err, it is not proper to hold the entire community responsible. If any legislation is brought banning corporal punishment, I am afraid, no teacher will dare to take any initiative in correcting a child,’’ he said.