BENGALURU: The State cabinet on Thursday approved the recommendation of the Justice Bhaktavatsala Commission to grant 33 per cent reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in urban local bodies (ULBs) and panchayat elections. However, the quota should not exceed 50 per cent, the Commission stated in its report.
Revealing this to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Law Minister HK Patil said the Commission made five recommendations in July last year. Of them, three were accepted by the cabinet on Thursday.
He said as per the present classification of OBCs as Backward Classes Category A and Category B, the aggregate of reservation in favour of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes should not exceed 50 per cent of the total seats. The cabinet approved the Commission’s second recommendation to consider reserving the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the BBMP for OBCs, Patil said.
On the third recommendation, Patil said the cabinet gave its approval to bring all urban local bodies’ election wings under the control of DPAR, which is under the CM. Asked if this will not affect the autonomy of the State Election Commission?, Patil said the Commission’s autonomy will not be touched.
All these years, facilities such as offices and vehicles were given by RDPR, which will now be under the DPAR. The cabinet also rejected the reclassification of Backward Classes Category A and B into two more categories of BCs.
No change in term
The cabinet rejected the recommendation to amend the KMC Act for other ULBs to provide a 30-month term for Mayor and Dy Mayor.