Permission to be sought for internal reservation

The State government will submit a proposal to the Union government seeking special permission to provide internal reservation on the lines of Tamil Nadu.

Social Welfare Minister A Narayanaswamy told mediapersons here on Wednesday that the Constitution provides for internal reservation and a special permission will be sought from the Union government to invoke the provision.

“Only five castes were enlisted as Scheduled Castes in the initial days of independence. The number has now gone up to 101. But there has been no corresponding increase in the reservation quota,” Narayana­swamy said.

The Justice Sadashiva Commission has put in eight years of hard work to prepare its report. A sum of Rs 23 crore has been spent on the exercise. Special permission would be sought from the Union government on the basis of
the Sadashiva panel report, the minister said.

Nayaka community was earlier included in the list of Other Backward Communities and now it had been enlisted as Scheduled Caste. However, there had been no increase in the reservation quota.

Narayanaswamy said the turmoil in the BJP government would end in about three days and the Central leaders would find an appropriate solution. He said the voters were dejected at the developments in the ruling party and he would tender an apology to the electorate.