Amend constitution to enable internal SC quota, CM tells Centre

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet on Thursday resolved to recommend to the Union government that the constitution be amended to enable internal reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs).

“The state Cabinet meeting held today resolved to recommend the Union government to amend article 341 of the constitution by adding a clause 3 in relation to the reservation for Scheduled Castes,” Siddaramaiah said.

It had been rumoured for months that the State government would delegate the responsibility of implementing internal reservation for SCs to the Centre since it has become a political hot potato.

Internal reservation for SCs was recommended by the Sadashiva Commission, which was set up back in 2005 under the CongressJD(S) coalition government led by Dharam Singh and was finally submitted to the BJP government in 2012.

The report concluded that ritually right-hand Dalits namely Holeyas alongside “touchable” nomadic SCs like Bhovis and Lambanis had been cornering the quota.

It had added that ritually left hand Dalits like Madigas, apart from smaller castes had been deprived.

There are a total of 101 castes under the 15 per cent SC quota in Karnataka right now.

Holeyas and the nomadic castes that fall under the SC quota fear losing out on a larger piece of the pie if the report is implemented while Madigas maintain that proportionate internal reservation would be a just resolution.

The report had disclosed that Holeyas and its 24 subcastes constitute 32.01 per cent of the SC population. Madigas and its 29 subcastes are 33.47 per cent.

“Touchable” nomadic castes are about 23.64 per cent while other Dalits are 4.65 per cent. Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet also resolved that the touchable nomadic castes like Bhovis, Lambanis, Korama, Korachas and others be continued in the SC list.

Gruha Jyoti to be tinkered

The Cabinet has also decided to amend the June 5 Government Order (GO) pertaining to the Gruha Jyoti Yojane, the scheme that provides free power for homes that consume less than 200 units of electricity.

The LT 2 consumers who consume less than 48 units would now be entitled to 1o units of extra power rather than 10 per cent extra electricity in relation to their yearly consumption.

Other resolutions include affirmation of the decision to name Freedom Park in Shivamogga after saint Allamma Prabhu.