Karnataka Scheduled Castes survey ends; Commission to submit report soon

Bengaluru: The statewide comprehensive survey of Scheduled Castes (SCs), which began on May 5, ended on Sunday.

The survey was overseen by the one-member commission headed by retired judge Justice H N Nagamohan Das, to decide on internal reservation. 

The survey began on May 5 and was initially scheduled to end on May 23. However, it was postponed multiple times, primarily due to the lukewarm response in BBMP limits. While the survey had a coverage of over 90% across the state, the coverage in BBMP limits was around 50%.

“The extensions have yielded results across Karnataka. However, the expectation levels were not met in the BBMP limits,” Justice Das told DH. 

Internal reservation has been a decades-long demand of the SC (left)/ Madiga community, who have accused the SC (right)/Holeya community of getting most of the reservation
benefits.

The Nagamohan Das commission was formed after the Supreme Court’s judgment in August 2024, which empowered the states to provide internal reservation to SCs and STs. Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana have already implemented internal reservations.

SC (Left) leaders from across the political spectrum have urged the government to implement internal reservation at the earliest. Last week, Congress leader and former social welfare minister H Anjaneya met Justice Das and urged him to submit the report soon, so that the government could implement internal reservation by July end. 

BJP leader Govind Karjol, also from SC (Left), urged the government to implement internal reservation by month-end.

“We are yet to receive the data. We have to analyse the data. Without further loss of time, we will submit the report,” Justice Das said.

“The survey has ended and the commission will soon prepare and submit its report to the government. We will then discuss it in the Cabinet. This may be tabled in the upcoming session of the legislature,” said Food and Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa, one of the SC (Left) leaders in the
Congress.