Internal reservation Bill passed in Karnataka Assembly amid debate on Alemari and EWS quota

Amid demand to increase the reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) to accommodate the interests of 59 Alemari (nomadic) communities, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously passed The Karnataka Scheduled Castes (Sub-Classification) Bill, 2025, that provides legislation cover to internal reservation in 17 % reservation for 101 Scheduled Castes.

The government was under pressure from the Dalit Left groups to legislate the internal reservation matrix.

Social Welfare Minister H.C. Mahadevappa, who moved the Bill, said, “Internal reservation was a promise made during the 2023 Assembly elections and we have kept it.”

The Bill seeks to provide legislative cover to the GO that apportioned 17% reservation. Of this, 6% reservation has been provided to 16 castes in Category A (Dalit Left), 6% to 19 castes in Category B (Dalit Right) and 5% to 63 castes, including 59 Alemari castes in Category C (Lambani, Korama, Koracha and Bhovi).

The Minister justified three categories introduced, after modifying the five categories recommended by the one-man commission headed by H.N. Nagamohan Das.

He said, “The 1% recommended to Adi Karnataka, Adi Andhra and Adi Dravida was modified and allowed to choose either between Category A or Category B because they were getting benefits from the two categories.”

On the 1% reservation for Alemari community being merged with Category C, he said, “With 1% benefit we felt the 59 communities may not get justice. Now, they will be given first post (in recruitment) in Category C to provide justice to them.” Those who still feel slighted can approach the Scheduled Castes Commission, he said.

During the discussion on the Bill, Deputy Leader of Opposition Arvind Bellad said that Alemari communities could not compete with other castes and inequality would continue. The Chief Minister’s Economic Adviser Basavaraj Rayaraddi suggested that the State could explore possibility of increasing the total reservation for SCs to 18% to include 1% reservation to Alemari communities.

BJP attacks CM

Earlier, when Mr. Bellad pointed out that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had once said that 17% reservation for SCs had not received legal sanction, Mr. Siddaramaiah took exception to it.

“I have not said anything like that anywhere. In fact, we were the first to seek 17% for SCs and 7% for STs as per their population. I am someone who would seek 75% reservation. The Centre has brought 10% reservation to EWS. Where is the provision for it in the Constitution?” the Chief Minister asked.

A little later, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok brought Assembly records where the Chief Minister had suggested that the then Bill had to be inserted in IX schedule without which it would exceed the 50% cap on reservation imposed by Supreme Court. This led to another round of exchanges.

Meanwhile, expelled BJP member Basannagouda Patil Yatnal, took objection to Chief Minister’s statement on EWS. “The Supreme Court has also upheld it,” he said, adding reservation was needed for other communities where there were poor people.

The Chief Minister, who initially disagreed with Mr. Yatnal, later admitted that the Constitution was amended in 2019 to provide for EWS reservation.