Formulating internal quota among SCs is a challenge for Karnataka govt.

The Supreme Court judgment on Thursday, holding that States can sub-classify the Scheduled Castes (SCs) to give preferential reservation to the most backward among them, will pose a challenge for the Congress government in Karnataka as several groups are vying for higher share in the quota.

The Supreme Court judgment on Thursday, holding that States can sub-classify the Scheduled Castes (SCs) to give preferential reservation to the most backward among them, will pose a challenge for the Congress government in Karnataka as several groups are vying for higher share in the quota.

The Congress in its 2023 Assembly election manifesto promised to implement the Justice A.J. Sadashiva Commission report to provide internal reservation for the SCs. So far, the Congress government has been arguing that Dalit sub-quotas would be possible only if the Centre ensures amendment of Article 341 of the Constitution, but the Supreme Court judgment now empowers States to sub-classify the SC communities.

The demand for internal quota has risen on the premise that sub-castes within the SCs are not a homogenised social denomination and there is intra-caste discrimination. The Sadashiva commission indicated that the SC ‘Right’ has got more benefits from reservation in education and employment than the other categories.

On March 24, 2023, the Basavaraj Bommai government announced an internal quota among 101 SC communities. It provided a quota of 6% to SC (Left), 5.5% to SC (Right), 4.5% to SC (Touchable), and 1% to SC (others). It hiked the quotas of SCs from 15% to 17% and STs from 3% to 7% based on the Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission report and sent the proposal to the Centre. In the run-up to the 2023 polls, the Congress opposed this classification, arguing that it was aimed at securing the votes of the dominant class within the SCs.

Legislators and leaders belonging to Banjaras (Lambanis), Bhovi, Koracha, and Korama have been opposed to the internal quota. For instance, the Banjara community, which has more than 45 lakh population spread across largely in north Karnataka and is said to have played a vital role in the victory of Congress candidates in close to 40 constituencies in the 2023 election, is opposed to the internal quota.

On the other hand, various SC groups are competing for more quota. For instance, Madiga community leaders argue that a bulk of the reservation is being cornered by Banjaras and Bhovis and are likely to intensify their demand for sub-quota in the coming days.

Karnataka SC/ST Contractors’ Association president N. Mahadevaswamy said the “elite” members of the numerically and politically dominant castes within the SCs have gobbled up government jobs and reservation in educational institutions. BJP MP M. Govind Karjol, former Minister, has urged Mr. Siddaramaiah to stop all recruitment in the government till the announcement of the internal quota.