BENGALURU: The Karnataka government is unlikely to hold elections to local bodies, including the BBMP, without fixing the quota for OBCs.
“We are not ready to go for elections without providing quota for OBCs, instead we have decided to go with an appeal before the apex court, seeking at least three months’ time. We know the repercussions of going for elections without OBC quota,” remarked Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister J C Madhuswamy, briefing the press after the cabinet meeting here on Thursday. “If we get time, we will fix the quota for OBCs and also implement delimitation of constituencies,” he added.
The Supreme Court is not likely to accept the report on socio-economic backwardness of OBCs as it has insisted on considering political backwardness for the quota. Following this, the Karnataka government set up a commission headed by Justice Bhaktavatsala five days ago, which is expected to give its report on political representation of OBCs in three months.
“On our request, the commission is likely to give its report well ahead of the time frame, as the deputy commissioners concerned have been asked to cooperate,” Madhuswamy explained.He was hopeful that the SC would give time to fix the quota, as it has ordered that elections be held in two weeks’ time, and a Special Leave Petition (SLP) has been posted on July 12 for hearing. Meanwhile, two or three petitions filed by private parties and OBC organisations will come up for hearing before the Karnataka High Court on May 17 with regard to BBMP, and the government is keenly awaiting the order to make its next move.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, briefing the press earlier in the day, stressed that a writ petition by Madhya Pradesh will come up before the Supreme Court on Tuesday, for review of its order to conduct polls to local bodies in two weeks, with anticipation of being given more time.
“All legal efforts are on to provide reservation in local bodies elections for OBCs. The Madhya Pradesh government had constituted a commission and submitted its report to court, and has also filed a review petition. There are reports submitted by many committees in Karnataka on political reservation, and we are mulling their use as well to present our stand,” he explained.