Karnataka Government Decides to Implement Internal Reservation for SCs

 Bengaluru: The cabinet meeting on Monday decides to implement internal reservations for members of Scheduled Castes (SCs) as the Supreme Court judgment and for providing internal reservation, the cabinet took a decision to constitute a Commission headed by a retired Judge of High Court to gather empirical data before steps will be taken for implementation of internal reservation for SCs.

After the cabinet meeting, Minister of Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil said the gathering of empirical data will be left for the Commission and the Commission will be asked to submit its report to the State Government in 3-month time. Until the Commission submits its report, all recruit processes will come to halt and if a recruit notification was to be issued today, such a recruitment process will be postponed.

Intervening, Minister of Social Welfare Dr H.C. Mahadevappa said the cabinet meeting decided to emulate the Telangana government model which has constituted a Commission to gather empirical data to provide internal reservation for SCs and the empirical data is available only through national census.

Asked about the fate of internal reservation until figures of National Census are available, Mahadevappa remained non-committal.

“All associations belonging to SC Right/Left/Bhovi/Lambani have held separate meetings on internal reservation and all these associations are in favour of internal reservation,” said Mahadevappa.

Mahadevappa said the Commission to provide internal reservation will look into all issues in its report and stated “All things (confusions) will be clear at the time of setting terms of reference for the Commission.”

Minister of Food and Civil Supplies Muniyappa said he was happy with the cabinet decision for providing internal reservation for SCs and exuded confidence of justice in internal reservation.

Minister of IT and Rural Development Priyank Kharge said none have opposed internal reservation.