In Karnataka, Congress govt fights shy of Dalit sub-quota poll pledge, puts ball in Centre’s court

Despite promising in its manifesto that it would implement the Justice A J Sadashiva Commission report to provide for internal reservations for the Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Karnataka, the Congress dispensation in the state has now put the ball over the issue in the court of the BJP-ruled Centre.

This was decided by the Congress Cabinet led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at a meeting here on Thursday, following which the government said that the implementation of the Dalit sub-quotas would be only possible if the Central government ensures the amendment of Article 341 of the Constitution.

“Parliament is the only authority (on the SC internal reservation issue). State government has no role – it is only a recommendatory body,” Social Welfare Minister H C Mahadevappa said.

The state government will compile a list of all recommendations made regarding Dalit sub-quotas and submit them to the Centre, he said.
The Congress had made a pledge ahead of the May 2023 Assembly polls that it would accept the Sadashiva panel report soon after coming to power. However, the Minister claimed Thursday that it could not be done as the erstwhile Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government had rejected the panel’s report.

“After the Congress announced (that it would accept the Sadashiva panel’s report), the BJP government, in a hurry, formed a Cabinet sub-committee under Law Minister and recommended SC internal reservations to the Centre. They (also) said that the Sadashiva Commission was irrelevant and closed,” Mahadevappa said.

The Bommai government had announced the SC internal reservations in March 2023, days before the Election Commission’s model code of conduct came into force for the polls.

The BJP government had then proposed sub-quotas in the 17%