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Indian Express
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Why Siddaramaiah is still in driver's seat amid setbacks – caste survey to stampede
One month after the Congress government in Karnataka marked its second anniversary, a key question doing the rounds in the political circles is whether Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's hold on power has diminished in the wake of a series of setbacks, such as the Bengaluru stampede incident and the cancellation of the state caste survey. An analysis of the political situation and various developments, however, indicate that Siddaramaiah still remains a dominant political force that neither his party Congress nor the Opposition could ignore. An astute politician and OBC stalwart, Siddaramaiah has taken several steps to firewall himself from the repercussions of some recent setbacks. On June 12, the Siddaramaiah Cabinet decided to junk the caste survey which was conducted in 2015 during the previous term of the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government to gauge the social, economic and educational situation of various communities in the state, especially the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The survey, which was only unveiled at the Cabinet meeting on April 11 this year, was seen as a key to deliver social justice – the main plank of the Congress as well as Siddaramaiah in the state. The June 12 Cabinet decision came following the Congress high command's direction to the Siddaramaiah dispensation to re-enumerate the castes on account of objections from many caste groups. 'We will do whatever the high command says. It is not my decision. It is not the decision of the Cabinet. It is not the decision of our government. It is a decision of the high command. They have told us to go for re-enumeration,' Siddaramaiah said after the meeting called by the Congress top brass in Delhi on June 10. The CM later attributed the Cabinet move scrapping the caste survey to a provision in the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1995, which mandates a fresh survey of backward castes after every 10 years. While the cancellation of one of the CM's main social justice projects was seen as a setback, it was also considered a 'reprieve' for him since Siddaramaiah had himself, in his first tenure, considered the caste survey a political hot potato that could damage the Congress's fortunes in the state. 'The recent decision of the BJP-led Centre to include a caste count within the purview of the population Census provided the first reprieve for Siddaramaiah over rejecting the 2015 caste survey,' a state government official said. 'It gave an opportunity to the Congress to buy time on the caste survey,' the official said. The Congress central leadership's direction to the Siddaramaiah government to go for a fresh caste count came amid growing tensions among several groups in Karnataka — including the dominant Lingayats and Vokkaligas, and even sections of the OBCs — over the findings of lower numbers for them in the 2015 survey. 'In a state where the promise of social justice has long formed the ideological glue of the Congress party, the recent handling of internal reservations and the caste survey report has been nothing short of a political disaster. What could have been a moment of progressive reform has instead devolved into factionalism, mistrust, and caste polarisation,' a Congress leader said prior to the June 12 Cabinet decision. Among the primary sources of angst over the caste survey report among Congress leaders was its findings about an increase in numbers and backwardness of two communities that are considered to be Siddaramaiah's core vote base — the OBC Kuruba group to which Siddaramaiah belongs and the Muslim community. 'Siddaramaiah, known for his AHINDA (minorities, backwards and Dalits) platform, has been accused of skewing the recommendations of the caste survey report to disproportionately favour his own Kuruba community. The proposed 12% reservation for Kurubas without a clear and evidence-based rationale has enraged other OBC groups,' a Congress leader said. 'Nowhere in the public domain has the government clarified the metrics or socio-economic criteria used to justify this move. This blatant caste favouritism has fractured the larger OBC solidarity.' After the cancellation of the 2015 caste survey, Siddaramaiah himself said, 'Both the dominant and the weak communities have expressed objections to the survey report.' A silver lining for Siddaramaiah amid the caste survey fiasco is the point that several Karnataka CMs had in the past rejected reports of the Backward Classes Commissions due to objections from various dominant and backward communities. 'The opposition to the caste surveys in Karnataka is not new. It has been done since the 1960s with the Naganagouda Commission, Havanur Commission, Venkataswamy Commission and the O Chinnappa Reddy Commission being opposed. Every survey has been opposed by the dominant communities is what we have seen,' Congress leader B K Hariprasad, who belongs to the OBC Billava group, said about the rejection of the 2015 survey. However, Siddaramaiah still appears to have managed to consolidate his own base through the leakage of the 2015 caste survey report. 'Siddaramaiah has now cemented his position as the main leader of the Kuruba and Muslim communities in Karnataka, who are spread across every Assembly constituency and together make up nearly 20% of the state's population,' said an observer. 'Siddaramaiah who already had the support of a majority of 135 Congress MLAs has now strengthened his position further since all MLAs are dependent on the support of Kurubas and Muslims at the constituency level.' Apart from the Backward Commission's recommendation for a significant hike in quotas for Kurubas and Muslims in the 2015 survey, Siddaramaiah is also seen to have established a hold on these communities by 'favouring' them in various decisions and government postings. Earlier this year, the Karnataka government passed a legislation to provide 4% reservation for Muslims in government contracts with a value of up to Rs 2 crore. The law has been rejected twice by the Governor and is still awaiting implementation. On June 19, the Siddaramaiah Cabinet also decided to increase the quota for Muslims in state housing projects from 10% to 15%. 'Muslims have been found to be among the highest homeless communities,' state law minister H K Patil said. The move is perceived as another bid for consolidation of Muslim support for Siddaramaiah besides sending out a signal about the Congress's support for the minorities — not just to Karnataka but also to poll-bound states like Bihar. Siddaramaiah suffered another blow on June 4 when 11 people were killed in a stampede during a celebration by the fans of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) club at the M Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium in Bengaluru over its first-ever IPL title win. The stampede occurred even as Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D K Shivakumar were holding a felicitation event for the RCB at the Vidhana Soudha, the government headquarters. There have been accusations of the stampede being caused due to administrative and systemic failures involving even the top echelons of the government. To tackle the row, Siddaramaiah suspended five police officers, including the then Bengaluru police commissioner, and ordered two separate judicial inquiries (apart from the police probe) into the incident. The decision to suspend senior IPS officer B Dayananda, who had largely served a two-year stint as a tough Bengaluru police commissioner without any blemish, over the stampede dented the police morale, but it did not have any political bearing on the CM or the Congress. 'I have acted on the basis of prima facie evidence of dereliction of duty by police officers… What is the action that BJP and JDS have been demanding? They wanted a judicial inquiry. We have constituted a judicial inquiry. All those who have committed mistakes, we have acted against them. What mistake has the government committed?' Siddaramaiah asked. He also said the stampede deaths hurt the Congress government. 'This incident should not have happened. After I became the Chief Minister, no such incidents had occurred. It has happened due to the mistakes of the officials, is what is prima facie evident. We have taken action. I have been hurt by the incident. The whole government is hurt by the incident,' he said.
NDTV
a day ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Supreme Court To Hear Plea Seeking 27% OBC Quota Implementation In Madhya Pradesh
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to urgently list a petition seeking implementation of 27% reservation quota for Other Backward Classes or OBC communities in Madhya Pradesh. A partial working day bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and Manmohan agreed to hear next week the plea mentioned in court today. The petition moved by members of the OBC community in the state seeks implementation of a law passed by the legislative assembly of Madhya Pradesh in 2019, which increased the OBC quota from 14% to 27%. The plea states the state government has been denying benefit of increased quota for the OBCs based on the stay given to an MBBS student for a postgraduate medical entrance test by the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Earlier, the Congress had accused the BJP-led Madhya Pradesh government of deliberately not implementing the law (which increased OBC quota from 14 to 27%) passed by the Congress government in 2019, citing "legal hurdle". An ordinance was brought by the erstwhile Congress government on March 8, 2019, seeking to increase the OBC quota in jobs and admissions in educational institutions to 27 per cent from 14 per cent. However, the same was challenged by the MBBS student. The Madhya Pradesh High Court stayed the implementation of the ordinance for the entrance test of the postgraduate medical exam. However, in July 2019, the state assembly passed legislation to replace the ordinance. The petition moved by members of OBC community in the state, claims that despite Madhya Pradesh having 50% OBC population, the reservation quota remains only 14%. The plea further says that Madhya Pradesh government arbitrarily failed to implement the Act to extend the benefit of the said amendment in nearly all recruitment processes. What Happened Before 2019 Before 2019, Madhya Pradesh had reservation of 14 per cent for the OBC, 20 per cent for ST, and 16 per cent for SC, totalling 50 per cent. The enhanced OBC quota has raised total reservation to 63 per cent, breaching the 50 per cent quota ceiling. On March 19, 2019, the High Court stayed the increased 13 per cent more OBC reservation, which led to the suspension of many recruitment processes. Later, a formula which included 87 per cent existing reservations plus 13 per cent reserved was introduced to continue exams while holding the disputed 13 per cent seats separately until a final verdict. In 2024, all pending petitions regarding OBC reservation hike (around 70 in total) were transferred from the High Court to the Supreme Court. Till the final decision is made, recruitments are continuing based on the 87:13 formula. This law was neither challenged in any court nor was any stay granted by the court on its implementation, the plea argues. "It is respectfully submitted that the said legislation has neither been struck down nor declared unconstitutional by any court of law. In fact, no interim order has been passed by this court or High Court of Madhya Pradesh for restraining the enforcement of the law," states the petition. The plea further states that the enforcement of the law is restrained only on the basis of legal opinion of the office of Advocate General of Madhya Pradesh by the executive and pending litigation before court. However, the plea argues that there is a presumption of constitutionality in laws passed by the state assembly, and such laws must be implemented even if they are facing challenges in court.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Days after interim stay, contempt plea in HC over ‘OBC list' in college portal
The Calcutta High Court on Thursday allowed a contempt petition to be filed against the West Bengal government for allegedly violating the stay on the interim Other Backward Classes (OBC) list in undergraduate college admissions in the state. Petitioner Purabi Das approached the Division Bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Ritobrata Kumar Mitra, alleging that despite the High Court's interim stay on the new OBC list, the state-run college admission portal continues to display reservation under the OBC-A and OBC-B categories. 'We stated that in the recent college admissions portal, the Tuesday's order of the High Court is not being followed. Thus, it is a contempt of court. We have made the chief secretary and secretary, Education Department, a party in the matter,' counsel Bikram Banerjee said. On Wednesday, the college admission process for undergraduates began through the government's centralised portal for over nine lakh seats across 7,229 undergraduate courses in 460 state and state-aided colleges. A day earlier, at the launch of the portal, State Education Minister Bratya Basu had said the interim stay on the new OBC list would not affect the admission process. 'Should agricultural work stop because of predictions of drought or heavy rain? We will continue our work. If there is any instruction, we will take emergency measures,' the minister had said. On Tuesday, the Division bench of Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Rajasekhar Mantha, while putting a stay on reservations to 140 subsections under OBC-A and OBC-B categories till July 31, had said that OBC certificates issued before 2010 under the 1993 law would remain valid for employment and education.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Provide info on OBC surveys': West Bengal govt gets notice from National Commission for Backward Classes
The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) issued a notice last week to West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Panth, seeking detailed information on the surveys conducted for the newly announced Other Backward Classes (OBC) list in the state within three days. According to NCBC sources, they are yet to receive a response, and they may send another notice. The notice came before a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Rajasekhar Mantha, observed on Tuesday that the state's recent OBC notifications may not have been issued in accordance with the law. According to sources, the NCBC sought clarity on the criteria and methodology used by the state to prepare the updated OBC list. The commission has specifically asked for details of the surveys purportedly conducted prior to the inclusion of several castes in the list. Last Tuesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, addressing the state Assembly, presented a report on the revised OBC list. She announced an increase in OBC reservation from 7 percent to 10 percent, with 49 castes under the OBC-A category and 91 castes under OBC-B. The Chief Minister stated that extremely backward castes were placed under the OBC-A category. However, the next day, a petition was filed in the Calcutta High Court challenging the list. The petitioner questioned how such a survey could have been conducted so quickly and whether due legal and procedural norms were followed. Meanwhile, NCBC Chairperson Hansraj Gangaram Ahir posted on X, stating: 'NCBC has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal, seeking replies in response to NCBC's earlier notice dated December 22, 2023, and subsequent letter… dated February 19, 2024. Time of three to six months was sought (by the state) to provide the information. Despite a lapse of more than a year, the requisite information is still awaited.' Ahir noted that several castes had been notified in the state's OBC list through three executive notifications dated June 3, 2025, saying that they mention that the listings were based on 'detailed surveys'. The NCBC had asked the state government to submit the recommendations of the West Bengal Commission for Backward Classes along with full survey reports—particularly information pertaining to 'points 13(C), 13(D), and 19(a) of the official proforma'—within three working days, along with supporting documents. On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court imposed an interim stay on the state's notifications regarding 140 subsections under the OBC-A and OBC-B categories. The stay will remain in effect until July 31. The petition challenging the list was filed by Amal Chandra Das. The bench clarified that individuals holding OBC certificates issued prior to 2010 will remain eligible for employment and education benefits. However, it reiterated its previous ruling from May 2024, which struck down OBC status for several classes—77 classes granted between April and September 2010, and 37 classes added under the West Bengal Reservation Act, 2012. This ruling is currently under challenge before the Supreme Court, where the matter remains sub judice.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Govt still open to lateral entry recruitment into depts: Jitendra Singh
Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday clarified that the government has not given up on the idea of lateral entry into government departments. 'We are still open to it (lateral entry recruitment). It is not being abandoned,' he said at a press conference held to highlight "11 Years of Seva and Transformative Governance". Lateral entry refers to the hiring of specialists, including professionals from the private sector, to take up senior roles in the government. 'No, we have not suspended (lateral entry) it,' added Singh, who is the Minister of State for Personnel. Lateral entry not new: Singh Singh noted that lateral entry is not unique to the current government. 'The most important, the most famous lateral entry in the government of India since 1947 has been that of Dr Manmohan Singh, who went on from one position to the other position and finally ended up as Prime Minister. And there have been Montek Singh Ahluwalia (former deputy chairman of erstwhile Planning Commission) and so many other lateral entries,' he said. The government, he added, tried to give it a formal structure by involving the UPSC in the recruitment process. 'So, like I said, we are open to it,' Singh reiterated. The press conference also featured senior officials from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), and the Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare. UPSC notification withdrawn Last year, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had withdrawn its advertisement for lateral entry recruitment following political controversy. On August 17, 2024, the UPSC had issued a notice for the appointment of 45 individuals through lateral entry — 10 as joint secretaries and 35 as directors or deputy secretaries. However, the decision faced criticism from opposition parties, who said the move bypassed reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SCs), and Scheduled Tribes (STs). One case under probe for quota misuse Responding to a query on misuse of quotas for OBC and disabled candidates, a senior DoPT official said there is currently one case under investigation. 'Post Pooja Khedkar (case), we have put a lot of mechanisms in place, both for PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities), as well as for OBC and EWS (Economically Weaker Section) candidates... We also received a lot of complaints on social media, which we thoroughly investigated, thoroughly inquired. And in most of the cases, we did not find anything negative,' said AP Das Joshi, Additional Secretary, DoPT. He confirmed that no officer has been dismissed so far over such allegations. 'There is one case that we are still investigating, but whatever the final result will be, action will be taken accordingly,' Joshi added. Pooja Khedkar, a former IAS probationer, was removed from service last year. She is accused of wrongly using OBC and disability quotas to qualify for a government post. Reforms under Modi government Highlighting the government's reformist approach, Singh said Prime Minister Modi's administration is focused on simplifying governance. 'For the first time since Independence, a government has taken pride in doing away with redundant rules rather than creating new ones,' he said. He pointed out that over 1,600 outdated laws, many from the colonial era, have been scrapped, sending a strong message of trust to the public — especially young people. Singh also spoke of efforts to blend technology with compassion. Over 19,000 long-pending promotions were cleared, bringing relief to many government employees. 'We combined human concern with technology to create solutions that respect the dignity of individuals,' he said. Singh also pointed out that the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) now deals with more than 2.6 million complaints each year. The system has an impressive resolution rate of 95 to 96 per cent. CPGRAMS is an online platform that allows citizens to file complaints against government departments.
