Karnataka govt accepts 3 recommendations of OBC panel

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday accepted three of the five recommendations of the Justice K Bhakthavatsala Commission, on providing one-third or 33 per cent reservation for other backward classes (OBC) in urban local bodies (ULB) elections.

A commission headed by Bhakthavatsala, a former judge of the Karnataka High Court, constituted to study suitable political representation for OBCs in ULB elections, had submitted a report to the then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai last year.

"Bhakthavatsala Commission has made five recommendations. Out of them, three have been accepted by the cabinet. The first one is -- to continue to provide the policy of political reservation of one-third (33 per cent) of total seats in the ensuing Urban and Local Bodies (ULB) election in favour of OBCs, as per the present classification of OBCs as 'Backward Classes' Category-A and B," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said.

The aggregate of reservation for seats in favour of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes shall not exceed 50 per cent of total seats, he said while briefing about the cabinet decisions.