Belagavi: With elections to the Legislative Assembly less than six months away, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah reiterated his government's commitment to enhance the reservation quota for SCs, STs and OBCs from 50 per cent to 70 per cent.
Intervening in a debate in the Legislative Council on Thursday, Mr Siddaramaiah said the Supreme Court has capped reservations at 50 per cent and categorically ruled that the quota should not cross beyond this percentage. This despite the Constitution not specifying any limit for the reservation quota, he added.
The Chief Minister listed the example of the Tamil Nadu government, which enhanced the reservation quota to 69 per cent from the existing 50 per cent, to justify the proposed move by the state government to increase the percentage of reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs to 70.
With the help of such a hike in reservation quota, the state government would be able to add many sub castes of SCs and STs under reservation ambit and thus extend the benefits to newly added sub castes of STs and OBCs, Mr Siddaramaiah informed the House.
