Karnataka clears SC/ST quota hike

Karnataka’s BJP government has decided to increase reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by 2% and 4% respectively, with CM Basavaraj Bommai declaring the hike will be implemented “at any cost”. A government order (GO) will be issued in two to three days, law and parliamentary affairs minister JC Madhuswamy said after a special cabinet meeting where the move was cleared ahead of assembly polls next year. The hike will benefit 103 SC and 56 ST groups. “After we discussed all options, we decided to hike the quota through a GO in which we will reveal our implementation modalities,” Madhuswamy said. The 6% increase will take the state’s total quotas beyond the Supreme Court’s 50% cap to 56%.