Karnataka hikes reservations for SCs and STs to 17% and 7%; state's overall quota tally breaches SC cap of 50 per cent

The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday approved the ordinance on hiking the reservation for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities. The reservation for scheduled castes (SC) was increased from 15 to 17 per cent and for scheduled tribes (ST) from three to seven 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," Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said.

The announcement by the state government to hike the reservation for SC/ST communities in Karnataka took the total reservation in the state to 56 per cent. 

"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," news agency PTI quoted Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy as saying after the cabinet meeting in Bengaluru.

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,
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— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) October 20, 2022

"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," he added.

The decision to hike reservation for SC/ST communities led to a similar demand by Vokkaligas in the state who are seeking to increase the reservation for their community to 12 per cent. On this, CM Bommai earlier this week said that the government can only act based on the recommendations of the courts and the Backward Classes Commission.

Prominent Vokkaliga seer Swami Nirmalanandanatha of Adichunchanagiri mutt said that though Vokkaligas comprise 16 per cent of the state’s population, reservation for the community was only four per cent.

This is among the growing list of demands of various communities to hike reservation or alter their reservation status in Karnataka. Prominently, Valmikis (ST) have sought 7.5 per cent reservation, while Panchamsalis (a sect of the powerful Lingayat community) have been demanding that the government include them under the ‘2A’ reservation category meant for Other Backward Classes (OBC). Similarly, Kurubas too had launched a short-lived campaign demanding that they be added to the ST list.

In March 2021, the Karnataka government had formed a panel under former high court judge Justice Subhash B Adi to examine all reservation demands that would bring about changes in Karnataka’s reservation matrix.