Justice HN Nagmohan DAS Commission submitted an interim report to CM concerning internal reservations between scheduled castes in Karnataka

Justice HN Nagmohan Das submitted the interim report retained within Karnataka to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. Dalit leader and minister KH Muniyappa, HC Mahadevappa, RB Thimmapur and chief secretary Shalini Rajneesh and former Minister of Social Welfare H. Anjaneya. |Picture source: Special arrangement

The Justice of the HN Nagmohan Das Commission submitted an interim report on internal booking issues more than two years ago in the scheduled caste in Karnataka and on Thursday, March 27, 2025, minutes before the scheduled state cabinet meeting.

Minister KH Muniyappa, HC Mahadevappa, RB Thimmapur and Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh and former Minister of Social Welfare H. Anjaneya were among the Dalit leaders in attendance when Justice Hn Nagmohan Das submitted the report to Mr Siddaramaiah.

A few days ago, the Minister held a press conference calling for the implementation of internal bookings between SCs as early as possible.

The Congressional government established a committee last year after the Supreme Court allowed states to provide internal bookings. Internal bookings will be cut into 17% booking matrix of 101 planned castes.

Congress pledged to implement the report of the Justice of the AJ Sadashiva Committee in its 2023 parliamentary election manifesto, providing internal reservations to the SC. |Picture source: Special arrangement

Reports rely on 2011 census data

Congress pledged to implement the report of the Justice of the AJ Sadashiva Committee in its 2023 parliamentary election manifesto, providing internal reservations to the SC. So far, the Congressional administration has been arguing that Dalit times are only possible if the Centre ensures amendment of Article 341 of the Constitution, but the Supreme Court’s decision has led authorizers to say that they would classify the SC community.

The report will pose a challenge to the Karnataka Congress government as several groups are competing for a higher share of the quota.

The committee has been established to recommend methods and means to implement internal bookings while complying with Supreme Court guidelines and based on empirical data. It has been asked to rely on the 2011 census data to make recommendations. Before discussion and implementation of the report, new notices are recruited to fill the backlog of positions and promotions in government departments.

Not a homogeneous social sect

The demand for internal quotas has risen, i.e. the subcarriers within the SC are not homogeneous social sects and there is internal discrimination. The Sadashiva committee said that SC’s “rights” gained greater benefits from reservations and employment than other categories.

On March 24, 2023, the Basavaraj Bommai government announced internal quotas for 101 SC communities. It provides 6% quota for SC (left), 5.5% for SC (right), 4.5% for SC (touchable) and 1% for SC (other). According to the report of the HN Nagamohan Das Commission, it increased the quota for SC from 15% to 17%, while the quota for STS from 3% to 7%, and sent the proposal to the center. In the 2023 poll competition, Congress opposed the classification, believing it was designed to secure the number of major class votes in the SC.

Earlier, the AJ Sadashiva Committee recommended internal retention in its 2012 report, which was opposed by the Dalit rights community, noting anomalies in population data.

Several states including Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Tamil Nadu have established commissions for internal quotas in different years.