Karnataka is on track to become the fourth state in India to breach the 50% reservation cap set by the Supreme Court, as it considers the caste census report. If accepted, the state would join Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and Bihar, where reservations already exceed the constitutional limit. This move has sparked both legal and political discussions about the future of caste-based reservations in the country.
The caste census, conducted by the state backward classes commission, suggests raising Karnataka’s reservation from 49% to nearly 70%. A key recommendation is increasing the reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from 32% to 51%. This would push the total reservation percentage to 56%, with 24% already allocated to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). This increase, critics argue, could test the limits of the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Indira Sawhney case, which sets the reservation cap at 50%.
If the state government approves the caste census report, it will likely send a proposal to the Union government for constitutional amendments to accommodate the new reservation policy. A major recommendation of the report is a more significant allocation for OBCs, including a higher percentage for categories like Category 1B, which now includes the Kurubas, Karnataka’s largest OBC group. The report also suggests a change in the creamy layer concept, applying it to categories 1 and 2 for the first time.
While this move is set to stir up further debates on the equity of such policies, it is also likely to face legal challenges. Critics of the report have raised objections regarding the reduced population estimates for major communities like Vokkaligas and Lingayats, suggesting the survey did not capture all members of these communities. These objections have created a political stir, with members of these communities urging the government to reconsider the findings.
Despite this, Karnataka’s caste census report indicates that the state may soon surpass the 50% reservation limit, a decision that could have significant consequences for the state’s future social and political landscape. The cabinet will meet on May 2 to discuss the recommendations further, and any final decision will likely set the stage for nationwide legal debates on caste-based reservations.
