Internal quota: SC (Right), SC (Left) to get 6% in Karnataka

Bengaluru: The state Cabinet on Tuesday decided to accept the Justice Nagamohan Das Commission’s report on internal reservation, but with some alterations: both the SC (Right) and SC (Left) communities will get 6% each.

According to top sources, the government is likely to promulgate an ordinance as the legislature session is set to end soon. 

“Some changes have to be made before we can introduce it as a bill. But we need some 15-20 days to do it, by which time the ongoing legislature session will be over. So, we will mostly introduce it as an ordinance and later introduce the bill in the next session,” the source added.

As per the new formula evolved by the Cabinet, the SC (Right) and SC (Left) will get 6% each, while the ‘touchable’ Dalits (Lambani, Bhovi, Korma and Korcha) and most backward/nomadic communities get 5%.

The Das Commission, which submitted its report on August 4, had recommended dividing the 17% reservation matrix amongst 5 groups.

The panel recommended 1% for most backward communities/group A, 6% for Madiga and others/group B, 5% for Holeya and others/group C, 4% for Lambani, Bhovi, Korma and Korcha/group D, and 1% for AK, AD and AA.

While the Madigas have retained the 6% reservation they got, the Holeyas have got an additional 1% reservation, while the most backward communities categorised under group A by the commission have been added to the group of ‘touchable’ Dalits (Bhovi, Banjara, Korma and Korcha).

Speaking to reporters, former social welfare minister H Anjaneya, a Madiga leader, said: “This has been a 30-35 years long fight of the Madigas, who have been deprived of reservation benefits. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had assured that 6% won’t be compromised upon. But we were expecting 7%”.

Law and Parliamentary affairs Minister HK Patil told reporters that the Cabinet meeting had been “fruitful,” and that all communities were “satisfied.”

“The Legislature session is going on and the Chief Minister will make his statement on this issue in the Legislature,” Patil added.

While the decision may be accepted by the SC (Right) and SC (Left) communities, there are arguments that the most backward community will now suffer, since they have been grouped alongside the ‘touchable’ Dalits - found to be most forward amongst all Dalit groups by the Das Commission.

Even Anjaneya expressed some displeasure that the nomadic communities had been clubbed with the ‘touchable’ Dalits.

“The most backward communities should have been kept as it is. They are extremely backward and they are yet to get opportunities. This shouldn’t have happened. I will check and speak about it tomorrow,” he added.

Several experts have dubbed the decision to remove the separate category for nomadic communities as “unfair”.

“This is an unfair decision. Even amongst the Dalits, the dominant communities have prevailed. The most backward and vulnerable communities have been discarded,” said K N Lingappa, former backward classes commission member.