E-Paper
Govt appointed commission recommends 33% seats in local bodies for OBCs
The commission headed by Justice K Bhakthavatsalya submitted its report to the state government a day before its expected submission to the Supreme Court.
A state government appointed commission on Thursday recommended that at least 33% seat should be reserved for the other backward classes (OBCs), including minorities, in the state’s urban and local bodies as several “castes and communities in the state are still socially and politically backward”.
The commission headed by Justice K Bhakthavatsalya submitted its report to the state government a day before its expected submission to the Supreme Court.
“On the basis of the above empirical data pertaining to urban and local body elections, held in Karnataka in 1996, 2001, 2010 and 2015, one can safely reach the conclusion that large number of castes and communities who come under the category A and B of other backward classes are still socially and politically backward. Therefore, providing reservation of 1/3rd (33%) of total seats, in favour of OBCs (including minorities) in the urban and local body elections is justifiable,” according to a statement on the report shared by the chief minister’s office (CMO).
On Wednesday, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said: “The state government would submit the report to the Supreme Court on July 22 on ward delimitation and OBC reservation matrix immediately on receiving the report from the Commission to decide OBC reservation for holding the elections for the Panchayat bodies and BBMP.”
The Bommai government has been accused of delaying the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP, the city’s civic body) election and the polls for zilla and taluka panchayat as any upset in these local bodies is likely to have a bearing on next year’s assembly elections, people aware of the development said. The BBMP has been without an elected council since September 2020.
On May 8, the state government had set up the Justice Bhakthavatsalya commission to study political reservations.
The commission also recommended that the term of the office of mayor and his deputy be amended to 30 months from the existing 12 months.
“Further, Section 10 of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976, provides reservation, for the persons belonging to the backward classes, falling under the category A and B, to the extent of 1/3rd of the total number of offices of the mayor and deputy mayor, in Karnataka. But, section 58 of the BBMP Act, relating to reservation of seats, in favour of OBCs, to the office of the mayor and the deputy mayor is silent,” the commission said.
“Another interesting fact to be noted is that the definition of the backward classes of BBMP Act, does not refer about Category A and B of OBCs, as notified by the urban development department. But, in the provision 1, 2 and 3 of sub-section 3 of Section 8 of BBMP Act, makes a reference about backward classes Category-A and B,” it added.
“Taking into consideration that 44.40% of total population, in Karnataka belong to OBCs (including minorities), Karnataka, in its wisdom and authority, have adopted the castes listed as backward classes, for the purpose of education and employment, for purpose of political reservation also, on the ground that they are socially and politically backward in the state of Karnataka. 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 OBCs population and empirical data. Hence, we hold that the reservation of 1/3rd (33%) of total seats in the local body elections in the State of Karnataka in favour of OBCs is justifiable,” the commission added.
However, the same will be applicable for minorities such as Muslims. “The empirical data reveals that the Muslim community has been given representation in the local body elections 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 2027 or 2028, the state government may 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 OBCs including minorities,” it added.
