Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the Karnataka local body polls will be held only after providing reservations for the backward class. Chief Minister Bommai had called for the all-party meeting on Wednesday. It was at this meeting that it was unanimously decided to hold elections for local bodies after providing reservations to the backward classes. CM Bommai announced the decision after the meeting.
While speaking to the reporters after the meeting, Karnataka CM Bommai said, “In the all-party meet, we examined all possible measures to provide reservation for backward classes and how we could conduct the elections in the backdrop of the Supreme Court order. The Advocate General presented the legal aspects.”
CM Bommai emphasised that it is impossible to hold local body elections without giving reservations to backward classes.
“We can either hold elections after forming a Commission and receiving its report, or we can submit a review petition with the Supreme Court. However, holding elections without reservation for the backward classes is impossible,” CM Basavaraj Bommai said.
After chairing the all-party meeting, Bommai told reporters that they would identify political backwardness among the backward classes, after which a commission would be formed. He stated that reservations will be made in accordance with the Supreme Court’s order and that they will hold another meeting by the end of March to make a final decision. Earlier, the Supreme Court in its order, subdued the 27% reservation for OBCs in local body elections.
On SC/ST quota
Furthermore, the Karnataka Chief Minister said that reservations for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes will be raised in line with population growth. With regards to Justice Nagamohan Das Commission’s proposal to increase reservation quota for SC/ST, Bommai said, “In this regard, the previous administration constituted the Justice Nagamohan Das Commission. The Commission presented its findings to the former government of BS Yediyurappa. The Commission has proposed that the reserve quotas for SC and ST be increased. We must make a judgement in this regard.”
Referring to the Supreme Court’s ceiling of 50% on reservation, Karnataka Chief Minister said, “There is demand from the Kuruba society which belongs to Category 2A for inclusion into the ST list, some of the 3B Category communities want to be incorporated into 2A Category. In this respect, we have to proceed step by step. There is also the subject of a 50 per cent ceiling on quota.”
SC’s order on the reservation in local body polls
Earlier, when Maharashtra government decided to implement a 27% quota for Backward classes in local body polls, Supreme Court quashed any attempts to implement the reservation, citing an interim report by the state backward commission recommending reservation for OBCs over “lack of rationale” and “absence of contemporaneous data”. The Apex court directed the state election commission to go along with elections to local bodies without the 27% quota for OBCs.
Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the Karnataka local body polls will be held only after providing reservations for the backward class. Chief Minister Bommai had called for the all-party meeting on Wednesday. It was at this meeting that it was unanimously decided to hold elections for local bodies after providing reservations to the backward classes. CM Bommai announced the decision after the meeting. While speaking to the reporters after the meeting, Karnataka CM Bommai said, “In the all-party meet, we examined all possible measures to provide reservation for backward classes and how we could conduct the elections in the backdrop of the Supreme Court order. The Advocate General presented the legal aspects.” CM Bommai emphasised that it is impossible to hold local body elections without giving reservations to backward classes. “We can either hold elections after forming a Commission and receiving its report, or we can submit a review petition with the Supreme Court. However, holding elections without reservation for the backward classes is impossible,” CM Basavaraj Bommai said. After chairing the all-party meeting, Bommai told reporters that they would identify political backwardness among the backward classes, after which a commission would be formed. He stated that reservations will be made in accordance with the Supreme Court’s order and that they will hold another meeting by the end of March to make a final decision. Earlier, the Supreme Court in its order, subdued the 27% reservation for OBCs in local body elections. On SC/ST quota Furthermore, the Karnataka Chief Minister said that reservations for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes will be raised in line with population growth. With regards to Justice Nagamohan Das Commission’s proposal to increase reservation quota for SC/ST, Bommai said, “In this regard, the previous administration constituted the Justice Nagamohan Das Commission. The Commission presented its findings to the former government of BS Yediyurappa. The Commission has proposed that the reserve quotas for SC and ST be increased. We must make a judgement in this regard.” Referring to the Supreme Court’s ceiling of 50% on reservation, Karnataka Chief Minister said, “There is demand from the Kuruba society which belongs to Category 2A for inclusion into the ST list, some of the 3B Category communities want to be incorporated into 2A Category. In this respect, we have to proceed step by step. There is also the subject of a 50 per cent ceiling on quota.” SC’s order on the reservation in local body polls Earlier, when Maharashtra government decided to implement a 27% quota for Backward classes in local body polls, Supreme Court quashed any attempts to implement the reservation, citing an interim report by the state backward commission recommending reservation for OBCs over “lack of rationale” and “absence of contemporaneous data”. The Apex court directed the state election commission to go along with elections to local bodies without the 27% quota for OBCs.