Bengaluru, May 5: A caste census for sub-groups under Scheduled Castes (SC) in Karnataka, aimed at internal reservation, has begun and will go on till May 17, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced on Monday.
Addressing a press conference here, Siddaramaiah said the purpose of this exercise was to prepare empirical data on 101 castes in the SC list and ensure equitable distribution of reservation benefits and uphold social justice.
“The government is committed to implementing internal reservation within SC communities based on accurate data,” Siddaramaiah said.
The chief minister appealed to the people of SC communities in the state to come forward and make the exercise, which started on Monday, a success.
“The enumeration of scheduled castes is going on in the state. A one-man commission led by the retired High Court Judge, Justice H N Nagamohan Das, has been constituted. He has been mandated to give a clear report on the sub quota for castes in the SC list,” the chief minister said.
Siddaramaiah said, the commission has to submit its report in 60 days. Rs 100 crore will be spent on the exercise, and 65,000 teachers will be roped in as enumerators.
The 2011 census lacked detailed sub-caste information, making this exercise necessary for fair policy decisions, he added.
The second phase of the exercise will be held between May 19 and 21, and designated camps will be organised as part of this for the benefit of those who were left out in the first phase. The third phase, meant for online registration, will also begin on May 19, and it will go on till May 23. Those who are residing outside their towns can make use of this, Siddaramaiah explained. The Supreme Court verdict dated August 1, 2024, in the case of the state of Punjab and others versus Devender Singh and others, upheld the constitutionality of sub-classification within SCs, he said. Based on the apex court order, the Nagamohan Das commission was formed, he said. (PTI)
