The Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and Appointments or Posts in State Dependent Services) Bill, 2022 will replace an Ordinance of the same title. The Bill to increase reservation for SC/ST candidates was introduced in Parliament today, December 20.
The Ordinance to be replaced, promulgated on October 23, increased the reservations for SC candidates from 15 to 17 per cent and for ST candidates from 3 to 7 per cent. The state Cabinet on October 8 gave formal approval to increase the SC/ST quota, a decision taken on the recommendation of a committee headed by a retired judge of the Karnataka High Court, Justice HN Nagamohan Das, according to a report. according to PTI.
“Since the matter was urgent and both houses of the State Legislature were absent, the Ordinance was promulgated by notification dated October 23 to achieve the purpose, and all the provisions of the Ordinance came into force from November 1. It seeks to replace the said Ordinance,” the bill says.
However, the decision to raise reservation is still not restricted under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, which brings the number of reservations in Karnataka to 56 percent, breaking the 50 percent ceiling set by the Supreme Court in 1992. Indra Sawhney case. Thus, the opposition has expressed skepticism and doubted the establishment of the government.
Earlier today, Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah moved an adjournment motion to Speaker Vishveshwar Hegde Kage to discuss the issue of increase in reservations in the Assembly on priority, alleging that the government’s move was politically motivated and lacked genuine concern for downtrodden sections. He added that the issue should be seriously discussed in detail, because it includes constitutional and legal aspects, PTI.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that the central government, while responding to the issue of reservation in Parliament, has apparently suggested that reservation cannot be enhanced beyond 50 percent. “We are not against increasing the reservation, we are in favor of it. But a constitutional amendment should be made and the increase in the reservation should be included in the ninth schedule to take care of it, without doing that the ordinance was promulgated, which is not valid and maintainable. So discuss it it is necessary,” he said more.
Although Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister JC Madhuswamy, who introduced the bill, opposed a separate discussion on the increase in reservations, he indicated that the issues will be discussed during the passage of the bill. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai agreed to discuss the matter under another rule instead of an adjournment motion. The spokesperson concluded that he will fix the time for the debate.
