Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to discuss with legal experts on internal quota for SCs

In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court on August 1 held that states are constitutionally empowered to make sub-classifications within the Scheduled Castes.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday told a delegation of Congress legislators and leaders from the Scheduled Caste community that he was in favour of internal reservation for SCs and would hold a comprehensive discussion with legal experts on the Supreme Court judgment in this regard and take an appropriate decision.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to discuss with legal experts on internal quota for SCs

The delegation led by Ministers K H Muniyappa, R B Timmapur, former minister H Anjaneya and former Rajya Sabha member L Hanumanthaiah met the chief minister and held discussion regarding the implementation of internal reservation.

"I have welcomed the Supreme Court's judgment on internal reservation. I am for internal reservation," Siddaramaiah was quoted as saying by his office in a statement.

The chief minister told the delegation that he would hold a comprehensive discussion with legal experts about the Supreme Court judgment and take an appropriate decision, it said.

In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court on August 1 held that states are constitutionally empowered to make sub-classifications within the Scheduled Castes, which form a socially heterogeneous class, for granting reservation for the uplift of castes that are socially and educationally more backward.

A seven-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, by a majority of 6:1, set aside the apex court's five-judge bench verdict of 2004 in the EV Chinnaiah vs State of Andhra Pradesh case which had held that no sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) can be allowed as they are a homogeneous class in themselves.