Balachandra Jarkihole

BANGALORE: The Karnataka Backward Classes Commission, which has been functioning without a chairman and members for quite some time, will be reconstituted this month and a caste-wise survey of other backward classes (OBCs) will be taken up.

Disclosing this to presspersons here on Friday, Social Welfare Minister Balachandra Jarkiholi said 60,000 teachers were needed for the survey and they would be posted only in April or May next year. There was time till the end of next year to complete the survey and the Union Government had sanctioned Rs. 20 crore for the purpose.

Citing reasons for dissolving the previous commission, the Minister said that it was not functioning properly. He would discuss the constitutional propriety of continuing the four per cent reservation exclusively for Muslims by the commission with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy as they enjoyed the facility in other categories as well, he added.

Mr. Jarkiholi said that before consulting the Chief Minister, he would study the Andhra Pradesh Government's order of reserving five per cent of various posts in the government to Muslims, which had been stayed by the High Court of that State. The Supreme Court had refused to vacate the stay granted against the order. He would study the proposal of the Tamil Nadu Government and Union Human Resource Minister Arjun Singh's thinking on the issue.

On the issue of providing separate quota for Kurubas and Edigas within category 2 A of the State's scheme of reservation, Mr. Jarkiholi said that he would discuss it with Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda next week. He would also discuss it with Mr. Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa. However, he was of the view that it could not be brought about through a government order. Mr. Jarkiholi said he and his Cabinet colleagues Food and Civil Supplies Minister Govind Karjol and Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Alkod Hanumanthappa had discussed the demand for internal reservation for Madigas within the quota for the Scheduled Castes with the Chief Minister. The Government had promised that justice would be done to Madigas. A statue of former Deputy Prime Minister Jagjivan Ram would be installed in the vicinity of the Vidhana Soudha on April 5, 2007.

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