K'taka spl Cabinet meeting on internal quota for SCs postponed

K'taka spl Cabinet meeting on internal quota for SCs postponed

Bengaluru, A special Cabinet meeting, which was Scheduled to take place on March 27 to discuss the internal reservation for Scheduled Castes has been postponed in view of the Model Code of Conduct in force for the Assembly bypolls, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said on Thursday.

K'taka spl Cabinet meeting on internal quota for SCs postponed

Addressing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, he said the special meeting scheduled for Friday had been deferred following legal advice, and would now be held after April 9. He added that the date for the meeting would be fixed later.

Bypolls in Davangere South and Bagalkot constituencies are scheduled on April 9.

"The Advocate General expressed the opinion that, since this is a broad policy matter, it may amount to a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Therefore, we have postponed tomorrow's Cabinet meeting until after the Code of Conduct period," Patil said.

He clarified that while the meeting on the internal reservation issue has been deferred, ongoing administrative processes would continue uninterrupted.

"As of now, nothing is stalled. All ongoing processes will continue," he said, adding that only decisions that were to be taken in the postponed meeting have been deferred.

It also approved payment of about ₹23 crore in pending dues under the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram for treatments carried out by private hospitals between 2015-16 and 2018-19.

He said the Cabinet decided to drop the Lokayukta's recommendation to initiate an inquiry against a Public Works Department official, and approved inclusion of 379 Water Resources Department personnel appointed prior to 2003 in the respective seniority lists.

Patil further said post-facto approval was granted to the Karnataka Government Educational Institutions Land Protection and Regularisation Bill and the State Civil Services Teachers Transfer Regulation Amendment Bill, as well as to the Motor Vehicles Tax concessions law passed in the Assembly.

On queries regarding holding discussions without taking decisions, he said, "When we are not going to take decisions, how and why should we discuss? Therefore, no discussion was held," reiterating that the special Cabinet meeting would be convened after April 9.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.