BENGALURU: Justice (retd) HN Nagamohan Das submitted his report on sub-classification of reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC) to the state government on Monday. The report will be placed before the cabinet on August 7 to decide on its implementation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told reporters after receiving the report. Rubbishing controversies surrounding the SC caste survey by the commission, he said there were no issues with the survey.
The report is 1,766-page long and includes the survey data and analysis with six recommendations. Justice Das’ suggestions include division of 17% quota for internal reservation among 101 castes by classifying them as ABCD groups, within SCs.
“I was asked to submit a report on internal reservation under my chairmanship. We conducted the survey for 60 days by using a mobile app. Over 27 lakh Scheduled Caste families have been covered. Everything has been verified and the report submitted. It is now the property of the government. It is up to the government to accept or reject it,” Justice Das told reporters after submitting the report at Vidhana Soudha.
The communities that participated in the survey are anxiously waiting to know their population and the quantum of reservation recommended for them.
Systematic report made using modern tech: Dr G
The SC left community leadership, which often claims that they are more in numbers than SC right, hope for not less than 6.5% out of the 17% reservation. Echoing the sentiments of the community, former minister HH Anjaneya urged the CM to make the Justice HN Nagamohan Das report public.
While Bhovis, Lambanis, Korachas and Koramas have been classified as one group, other castes are also expecting their fair share of the quota.
Ministers hailing from different SC castes - Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, Social Welfare Minister Dr HC Mahadevappa, Food and Civil Supplies Minister KH Muniyappa, Excise Minister RB Timmapur, RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge and Backward Classes Welfare Minister Shivaraj Thangadagi were present when Justice Das submitted the report.
The CM directed Chief Secretary Dr Shalini Rajneesh and social welfare department principal secretary to take steps to place it before the cabinet meeting on Thursday.
Dr Parameshwara said the committee has submitted a historical report. “A systematic report, prepared using modern technology, has been submitted to the government. The contents of the report are not known. The chief minister has already given instructions that the report should be placed before the next cabinet meeting. There will be a discussion on implementing the report and later a decision will be taken,” he said.
“For the first time in the country, such a report has been prepared in a systematic and scientific manner. The report must be accepted by the cabinet as it is not my decision to make. Even the CM cannot decide alone,” he said.
The commission conducted the survey from May 5 to July 6, 2025, covering 27,24,768 families and 1,07,01,982 people from Scheduled Castes. Data on educational backwardness, lack of representation in government, employment, and social backwardness have been analysed among 101 castes.
The CMO stated that the available 17% reservation will be distributed by classifying sub-castes of Scheduled Castes as per the instructions of the Supreme Court, after analysing the data collected through the survey and the government agencies.
It noted that Justice Das did not receive any honorarium for his work.
The Supreme Court through its verdict on August 1, 2024, under Article 14 of the Constitution, authorised state governments to provide internal reservation after reclassifying sub-castes based on empirical data to ensure social justice for all. The Karnataka government formed the commission in January this year. The commission submitted an interim report on March 27, recommending a fresh survey due to lack of existing data. The Cabinet approved the interim recommendation the same day, and a statewide survey was conducted between May 5 and July 6.