© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The Karnataka Cabinet Thursday decided to categorise the two dominant communities in the state, Vokkaligas and Lingayats, as “moderately backward” from the “backward” category in a move that could increase their share in reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC).
The decision comes ahead of Assembly elections in the state next year — and at a time when the Panchamasali sub-sect of Veerashaiva Lingayats has demanded inclusion in the 2A category which has 15% quota from their current 3B category which has 5% quota.
According to the Cabinet decision, the Vokkaliga community, which is currently in the 3A category, will be moved to a newly-created 2C category with 4% reservation. And the Lingayat community, which is in the 3B category, will now be in a new 2D category with 5% reservation.
Crucially, the Cabinet decision ensures that there is no sub-categorisation of the Lingayat community.
Sources told The Indian Express that the quota for both communities is likely to increase as the state rebalances the numbers to implement the 10% EWS quota “after conducting an empirical assessment”
The Cabinet’s decision, sources said, is based on the recommendations of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, which had submitted an interim report to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on December 23.
Karnataka currently has 32% quota for OBC, and 17% and 7% quota for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, respectively, taking the total to 56%.
“We expect some from the Backward Classes to move to the EWS quota and that will bring down the number of people availing OBC quota. So, after the BC Commission’s study, we will rebalance the numbers for both these communities. Right now the change is in their status, not share,” a state government source told The Indian Express.
Lingayats are considered the most populous community in the state, followed by Vokkaligas. The new categories will not affect the existing reservation provided to other communities.
State Law and Parliamentary Affairs minister J C Madhuswamy said the proportion of population eligible for EWS reservation was around 4%. “We will redistribute the remaining portion of EWS category under 2C and 2D,” he said, noting that the government has agreed to bring in EWS reservation in Karnataka.
The reservation will be applicable only in education and jobs, and “not political reservation,” he said.
The increase in reservation from the one granted currently to these communities — 4% for Vokkaligas and 5% for Lingayats — via redistribution of the EWS quota will be based on the population of various communities assessed by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes. The assessment will likely be completed in three months, Madhuswamy said.
Once the assessment is complete, a hike in reservation percentage for 2C and 2D categories will be announced, he said.
Karnataka government will petition the Centre to approve the hike in the reservation by including it under Schedule 9 of the Constitution, Madhuswamy said.
