Bengaluru: Following a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai with leaders of Opposition Parties and legal experts with respect to providing reservations to backward classes in local bodies, the State Government has announced the setting up of a Commission to get report and recommendations in this connection. 

Disclosing this at a press meet recently, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J.C. Madhuswamy said that the Commission will work within a time frame and submit its report and recommendations to the State Government which would be informed to the Supreme Court. It is only after that the Government will take steps to implement reservations to backward classes in local body elections, he added.

Making it clear that the  Government will not hold elections to the local bodies till the issue of reservation to the backward classes is decided, he said that it is not possible to hold elections with the existing reservation system and pointed out that the Apex Court had nullified the elections held in Maharashtra which was held without proper reservation system in place. “That’s why a Commission will be set up to look into the issue of reservations to backward classes and based on its report a decision will be taken,” Madhuswamy added.

Former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition Siddharamaiah, speaking after the meeting with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that holding elections to the local bodies without providing reservations will be an injustice to backward classes. In view of the Supreme Court order, reservations to backward classes should be resolved by the Government and suggested that it should seriously consider the issue and     examine it legally.

Observing that the Court has asked the Governments to conduct a survey before deciding on reservations, Siddharamaiah said that the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes has already submitted its report on educational and economic conditions of backward classes and appealed to the State Government to consider that report also.

“Elections to local bodies should not be held till the reservations are finalised for the backward classes. Otherwise, people from backward classes are deprived of political representations. It is not possible to include backward classes in the general category and hold elections,” he added.