Bommai govt scraps 4% Muslim quota, distributes it among Vokkaligas, Lingayats

In a major policy move ahead of the Assembly election, the Karnataka Cabinet on Friday decided to scrap the 4% reservation for Muslims under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota and distribute it equally among the dominant Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities.

Muslims, who come under Category 2B, will be moved to the 10% EWS quota pool, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced, pointing out "there is no provision for reservation to religious minorities in the Constitution".

From the 4% that is freed up, Vokkaligas and Lingayats will get two percent each, increasing their reservation in the OBC pool to 6% and 7% under Categories 2(C) and 2(D), respectively, from the present 4% and 5%.

The two communities were earlier under Categories 3A and 3B, which stand scrapped.

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With this delicate balancing act, the BJP government hopes to placate the politically powerful communities that sought a hike in their quotas. The government was especially under pressure from the Panchamasalis, a numerically stronger sub-sect of Lingayats.

"There is no provision under the Constitution for reservation to religious minorities. It is not there in any state. In Andhra Pradesh, the court struck down reservation to religious minorities. Even BR Ambedkar said clearly that reservation is for castes," Bommai explained.

"Sooner or later, someone might challenge reservation to religious minorities. So, the government has taken a proactive decision," Bommai said. "In the literal sense, there are economic criteria to avail OBC reservation, even for minorities. We're moving [Muslims] from a 4% pool to the 10% EWS quota where the same economic criteria will continue," he said.

Bommai specified that the poor from all communities which are not SC, ST or OBC will qualify for the EWS quota. The government will soon notify implementation of the EWS quota, the CM said.

Under the 10% EWS quota, Brahmins, Jains, Arya Vysyas, Nagarthas and Mudaliars are expected to benefit alongside Muslims. "If you look at it optimistically, Muslims now qualify under a larger pool of 10% reservation," Bommai pointed out. He also said that some Muslims also come under Category 1 and Category 2A, which will remain undisturbed.

Even after the tinkering, the Bommai government has ensured that the total OBC reservation remains at 32% across four categories - Category 1 (4%), Category 2A (15%), Category 2C (6%) and Category 2D (7%).