Karnataka govt revises reservation quota for SC/STs

Bengaluru, Oct 20: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday decided to promulgate an ordinance to raise reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) by 2 per cent and for Scheduled Tribes (STs) by 4 per cent.

"Today my cabinet has taken an historic descision of approving the ordinance on hiking the reservation for my brothers and sisters from SC/ST community, from 15% to 17% and 3% to 7%. This historic decision will bring light and shine into their lives and uplift them by providing adequate opportunity in education and employment." tweeted Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

"Following the decision to enhance the SC/ST reservation, we introduced a bill to this effect before the cabinet, and it was decided to send it to the Governor to promulgate an ordinance." Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy was quoted by PTI.

"We had earlier felt that executive decision would be enough, but later realised that if it is questioned in court of law, it may lead to issues, so we have decided to bring in an ordinance," the Minister said in response to a question.

"We have stressed that there were only six castes in Karnataka under SC earlier, to which now 103 castes, nomads and slum-dwellers have been added, so the population has enormously raised, and as the Constitution calls for adequate representation we will have to give about 17 per cent reservation for SCs, hence the decision," he explained.