After high command diktat, Karnataka government junks caste census report, to go for fresh survey

On Thursday, the CM officially announced the re-enumeration exercise, referring to a provision under the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Act to defend the fresh survey. As per Clause 1 of Section 11 of the Act, the survey findings carried out in 2015 are invalid by now. “The State Government may at any time, and shall, at the expiration of ten years from the coming into force of this Act and every succeeding period of ten years thereafter, undertake revision of the lists with a view to excluding from such lists those classes who have ceased to be backward classes or for including in such lists, new backward classes,” reads the clause.

Siddaramaiah said the provision was very clear, adding, “The Cabinet, considering these clauses, has decided that since the panel conducted the survey 10 years ago we will ask it to go for a fresh survey.”

The CM said that the modalities of the exercise would be announced soon, but added it would be completed in 90 days.

However, uncertainty prevails over the timeline as teachers, key personnel required for the process, will not be available to serve as enumerators for the survey, at least till the mid-term vacations or the summer vacations next year, according to government insiders who added that the survey results would not be made official until at least late 2026.

The Congress high command’s directions to the state leadership following a meeting with Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar will contribute to an additional delay of the implementation of the report, which was almost shelved by the erstwhile Congress-JD(S) coalition and the BJP governments. Even Siddaramaiah dragged his feet on accepting the report during his first tenure.

The CM appeared to have mustered support during his second stint as CM and was on the verge of accepting the report, until the high command stepped in.

Sources said the leak of the recommendations of the Commission, especially regarding the Kuruba community from which Siddaramaiah hails, allowed Congress leaders to pile more pressure on the high command to have a relook at the Karnataka caste survey. The commission endorsed shifting Kurubas from the 2A category, or Other Backward Classes (OBCs), to Category 1 or Backward Castes. Along with it, it suggested reducing the quota under 2A from 15% to 12%, while hiking the Category 1 quota from 4% to 6%.

Leader of Opposition R Ashok asked why Siddaramaiah submitted to the high command while turning a blind eye to the concerns raised by various communities in the past few months. “As soon as the high command pulled you up, you cleared the decision to re-enumerate. This makes one thing clear. You don’t trust the people of the state, mutt heads and leaders of various communities,” he said.

Ashok also pointed out that Rs 167 crore was spent on the survey carried out in 2015. The BJP leader said he suspects that the re-enumeration announcement was used to divert the attention of the public from the stampede.