Why a commission for internal SC reservation when Karnataka has socio-economic survey data?
CM Siddaramaiah chaired a review meeting of all the Deputy Commissioners and Zilla Panchayat CEOs at Vidhan Soudha.
Despite the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes submitting a comprehensive socio-economic and education survey report to the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government in February 2024, the state government has decided to establish a one-man commission.
This commission, yet to be set up, will be tasked with compiling data and providing recommendations for the implementation of internal reservation within the Scheduled Castes quota in Karnataka.
In a significant decision, the Siddaramaiah-led Cabinet decided to implement internal reservation for SCs but only after the one-man commission submitted its report to the government.
The cabinet decided to set up a commission under a retired High Court judge to collect empirical data on SCs and submit the report in three months.
Even a week after announcing it would appoint a retired high court judge for the commission, the government has put off making the appointment, citing the election model code of conduct. This is likely to delay the proceedings connected to the internal reservation.
In October 2022, the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government raised SC reservations in education and jobs from 15 percent to 17 percent. In March 2023, it introduced an internal reservation system within SC communities.
However, it was met with severe backlash from the dissenting communities and also faced legal challenges.
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Need for data cited as reason for commission
While announcing that the cabinet has decided to set up the one-man commission, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs HK Patil told reporters: “The government has taken a bold decision to fulfil the long-pending demand of SCs. The new commission will collect empirical data to base its recommendations.”
The Supreme Court, in a landmark judgment of August 1, 2024, gave powers to the state governments to implement internal reservations within the SC category, a demand that was long pending from a section of Dalits, to prevent dominant SC castes from cornering all benefits.
It is important to note that the state government is already equipped with empirical data of all the communities, not just SCs, as the Backward Classes Commission has already submitted its socioeconomic and education survey report, which is deemed as a caste census report.
However, the government is yet to accept the caste census report.
Backward Classes Commission’s former chairperson K Jayaprakash Hegde told South First recently: “This caste census report is crucial for two reasons: First, it addresses the issue of providing reservations for backward classes and others. We now have exact figures, and empirical data, which the court has also demanded.”
“Second, it will assist the government in identifying which families have received benefits, their social standing, and their financial condition. Based on this information, the government will be better equipped to extend support to those in need.”
“This eliminates the necessity for officials to conduct door-to-door surveys every time,” Hegde had said, adding that the report would be instrumental in helping the government provide benefits to the poor efficiently.
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Legal hurdles anticipated
Minister for IT and BT and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Priyank Kharge, who belongs to the SC, highlighted various reasons including the possibility of legal hurdles in considering the existing socio-economic and caste census report for the implementation of internal reservation within SCs.
Asked why the commission was set up when the caste census report exists, Minister Priyank Kharge told South First: “The one-man commission will be set up as soon as the election model code of conduct is lifted. We are setting up the commission to get proper empirical data of the SCs.”
“We admit that the socio-economic and education report has been submitted to the government. The government is yet to accept and deliberate on the matter.”
“There is also opposition from certain communities such as Lingayats and Vokkaligas that the survey was not done scientifically. People also opposed the Sadashiva Commission and other reports connected to this. Amidst these concerns, we cannot consider the socio-economic and education report to implement internal reservations for SCs,” Kharge said.
Asked more specifically about the concerns around the use of the caste census report, he said, “The Supreme Court order is very clear that the internal reservation for SCs has to be implemented based on empirical data. If we consider the data from the caste census report, there are possibilities that other dissident communities might object to it.”
“There are also high chances that the sanctity of the report would be questioned, leading to legal hurdles. Hence, the commission will be set up to seek proper methodology to ascertain empirical data. Based on that report, the government will decide on the implementation of the internal reservations,” Kharge explained.
The previous BJP government under the leadership of CM Basavaraj Bommai had introduced an internal reservation system for 101 SC communities, which was vehemently opposed by a section of marginalised communities including Lambani, Korama and Koracha.
Under the scheme introduced by the previous government, six percent was allocated to the most backward SC ‘left’ group (29 communities including Madigas), 5.5 percent to the backward SC ‘right’ group (25 communities such as Holeyas), and 4.5 percent to touchable (is this commonly understood?) communities (like Banjaras and Bhovis), with one percent set aside for other SC groups.
This proposal was dropped after it faced legal hurdles.
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(Edited by Rosamma)
