Karnataka Cabinet Greenlights Internal Reservation for Scheduled Castes

The Karnataka cabinet has approved the establishment of a commission to collect data for internal reservation among Scheduled Castes. Led by a retired High Court judge, the commission will present findings in three months, pausing recruitment temporarily. This decision follows a recent Supreme Court verdict allowing subclassification within Scheduled Castes.

The Karnataka cabinet has consented to an internal reservation among Scheduled Castes (SC), announcing the formation of a new commission to gather empirical data.

This commission, to be led by a retired High Court judge, was confirmed by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil following the cabinet meeting. "In light of recent demands and discussions regarding internal reservation among SCs, and subsequent to the Supreme Court's verdict, today's decision solidifies our commitment to this initiative," Patil said.

The government expects the commission's report within three months, halting all upcoming recruitments until then. "No recruitment processes will commence until post-report," Patil added. This move comes after the previous BJP cabinet's proposition of specific quotas and follows the Supreme Court's ruling on the state's authority to sub-classify groups within Scheduled Castes.

(With inputs from agencies.)