10% EWS quota to be distributed among Vokkaligas, Lingayats

Image credit: Deccan Herald

The Karnataka Cabinet made the consequential decision on Thursday to establish two new OBC categories for Vokkaligas and Lingayats, whose reservation demands will be satisfied by taking some of the 10% EWS quota.

The Vokkaligas, who are now in Category 3A, will be moved to Category 2C. Veerashaiva-Lingayats, who are currently in Category 3B, will be moved to Category 2D. The current Categories 3A and 3B will be eliminated.

There will be a 4% reservation for Vokkaligas under Category 2C and a 5% quota for Lingayats under Category 2D, as before.

OBCs currently have 32% of the available reservations in Karnataka, which are divided among five categories: Category 1 (4%), Category 2A (15%), Category 2B (4%), Category 3A (4%), and Category 3B (5%).

The Panchamasali Lingayats, who are a sizable population, put a lot of pressure on Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai to shift them from 3B to 2A for a greater reservation. Similar to this, the Vokkaligas desired an increase in their quota from 4% to 12%.

The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes recommended the formation of the new categories in its interim report, which, according to Law Minister JC Madhuswamy, the Cabinet supported in principle.

The government will use the 10% EWS quota that applies to Brahmins, Jains, Arya Vysyas, Nagarthas, and Mudaliars in order to satisfy their requests for a higher quota.

The administration anticipates having four to six percentage points left over after establishing the quota for EWS communities, which will be distributed to the Vokkaligas and Lingayats. This will increase the current 4% and 5% reservations for Vokkaligas and Lingayats, respectively.

Additionally, Madhuswamy stressed that Categories 3A and 3B are “special categories” subject to an 8.5 lakh rupee yearly income cap. “At the moment, only rural Vokkaligas who earn less than Rs. 8.5 lakh annually are eligible for benefits under Category 3A.” The Lingayats fall under Category 3B in the same way, he noted.

Prior to the Assembly elections, the ruling BJP is attempting to increase its support among the Lingayats and gain ground among the Vokkaligas by implementing this reservation policy.

The government has already increased reservations for SCs and STs from 3% to 7% and 15% to 17%, respectively.

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