K'taka implements enhanced reservation for SC/STs

Bengaluru, Nov 1

The Karnataka government has issued a notification giving directions to implement 17 per cent enhanced reservation for the Scheduled Castes and 7 per cent for the Scheduled Tribes from Tuesday on the occasion of Kannada Rajyotsava day.

However, the bureaucrats have stated that there was no clarity on the notification issued for the implementation. They also stated that the ambiguities need to be ironed out first.

The notification says that its directions regarding the enhancement of reservation must be implemented from November 1. But, after implementing the enhanced reservation, the total reservations will rise to 56 per cent in the state, said the senior bureaucrats.

The roasters have to be reworked and under legal provisions also, the implementation of enhancement of reservations was not simple, they said.

The Social Welfare Department has issued a notification and has given directions for implementing the ordinance by the state government.

The notification had been given to the heads of all departments, universities, academic institutions, corporations, boards, commissions, government undertakings, secretary of the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) and CEO of Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA).

As per the ordinance promulgated by the ruling BJP government, the enhanced reservation will also apply to education institutions run by the government, aided schools and colleges and will also apply to the admissions of students.

The order will have to be implemented in companies and public institutions registered under the Karnataka Cooperative Societies Act and all government undertakings.

The issue of enhancement of reservations for SC's and ST's in Karnataka has taken a political turn. The opposition Congress and ruling BJP have been staking claim over taking the decision for the enhancement of reservations for SCs and STs.

Both parties are eyeing to reap the political mileage out of it ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections of 2023, scheduled to be held in less than six months.