Justice H.N. Nagmohan Das Commission submits interim report to CM on internal reservation among Scheduled Castes in Karnataka

Justice H.N. Nagmohan Das Commission submits interim report on SC internal reservation issue in Karnataka to Chief Minister.

Justice H.N. Nagmohan Das Commission submitted its interim report on the over two-decades-long internal reservation issue among the Scheduled Castes in Karnataka, to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on March 27, 2025, (Thursday), a few minutes before the scheduled State Cabinet meeting.

Ministers K.H. Muniyappa, H.C. Mahadevappa, R.B. Thimmapur and Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, and former social welfare minister H. Anjaneya were among the Dalit leaders present when Justice H.N. Nagmohan Das submitted the report to Mr. Siddaramaiah.

A few days ago, Ministers had held a press conference seeking early implementation of the internal reservation among SCs.

The Congress government had set up the commission after the Supreme Court last year allowed the States to provide for internal reservation. The internal reservation will slice up the 17% reservation matrix given to 101 scheduled castes.

The Congress in its 2023 Assembly election manifesto promised to implement the Justice A.J. Sadashiva Commission report to provide internal reservation for the SCs. So far, the Congress government has been arguing that Dalit sub-quotas would be possible only if the Centre ensures amendment of Article 341 of the Constitution, but the Supreme Court judgment empowers States to sub-classify the SC communities.

The report would pose a challenge for the Congress government in Karnataka as several groups are vying for higher share in the quota.

The commission has been set up to recommend ways and means of implementing internal reservation while adhering to Supreme Court guidelines and based on empirical data. It has been asked to rely on the 2011 census data to make its recommendation. Till the report is discussed and implemented, fresh notification for recruitment, filling of backlog posts and promotions in government departments have been halted.