Bengaluru, July 21: The Justice Bhaktavatsala has suggested the government to include two more categories of “Backward Classes” for the “purpose of effective reservation in favour of OBCs including minorities.”
The report submitted by the Commission of Inquiry for OBC Reservation in Local Bodies noted that 44.4 per cent of the total population in the state of Karnataka were OBCs which included the minority communities.
“Therefore, reservation of 1/3rd (33%) of total seats, in favour of OBCs for Local Body elections, in the State of Karnataka, is based on OBC’s population and empirical data. Hence, we hold that the reservation of 1/3rd (33%) of total seats in the local body election in the State of Karnataka in favour of OBCs is justifiable,” it said.
The Committee was formed earlier this year in May to study the political representation of backward classes in Karnataka.
According to the report, persons of minority community other than Muslim community were not able to avail the benefit of political reservation in local body elections. Empirical data revealed that Muslim community has been given representation in the local body election held in the year 1996, 2001, 2010 and 2015.
“We are of the opinion that before the next local body elections in the State of Karnataka, in the year 2027 or 2028, the State Government may (conduct a) review about the re-classification of “Backward Classes” Category – A and B, into two more categories of “Backward Classes” for the purpose of effective reservation in favour of OBC’s including minorities,” the report said.
While batting for 33% reservation for OBCs, the Committee also reminded the government to ensure that the aggregate of reservation of seats of favour of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes shall not exceed 50% of total seats.
Mayor term : The committee recommended the government to consider providing reservation of office of the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor of BBMP for backward classes.
Amendment to section 10 of the Karnataka Municipalities Act, 1976, along the lines of BBMP Act, 2020 – which has increased the term of mayor and deputy mayor for a period of 30 months – was also recommended in the report.
