Karnataka Scraps 4% OBC Quota For Muslims, Places Them Under EWS Category

The reservation given to the Muslims will now be divided and added to the existing quota of two dominant communities in Karnataka. 

CM Basavaraj Bommai said the quota for religious minorities will be scrapped (File Photo)

Karnataka government announced its decision to scrap the four per cent OBC quota for Muslims in the poll-bound state on Friday. The reservation given to the Muslims will now be divided and added to the existing quota of two dominant communities in Karnataka. 

The decision to bring religious minorities under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category was taken during a cabinet meeting. 

According to PTI, the 4 per cent reservation given to Muslims under 2B classification of the OBC category will now be divided into two equal parts. The divided quota will be added to the existing quota of Vokkaligas and Lingayats. The two reservation categories for Vokkaligas and Lingayats under 2C and 2D were created during the Belagavi Assembly Session last year.

Last December, Karnataka Cabinet abolished 3A and 3B categories for providing quota for Vokkaligas and Lingayats respectively and replaced them with two new categories of 2C and 2D.

Addressing the reporters after the cabinet meeting on Friday, CM Basavaraj Bommai said the quota for religious minorities will be scrapped and they will be brought under 10 per cent pool of the Economically Weaker Section category. 

"The four per cent (reservation for minorities) will be divided into two between 2C and 2D. The four per cent reservation for the Vokkaligas and others will be enhanced to six per cent and Veerashaiva Panchamasali and others (Lingayats), who are getting five per cent reservation will now get seven per cent," the CM explained, as per PTI.

The decision to scrap the quota has come just before the Assembly elections scheduled to be held before May 2023. The EC is also expected announce the schedule for the polls in the coming days.