Delay Likely in SC Internal Reservation as Survey Seeks More Time

The Justice HN Nagamohan Das Commission, tasked with conducting the survey, had submitted an interim report to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on April 27, recommending a scientific approach to gather caste-wise data. The government accepted the proposal and granted 60 days for completion, with the final report initially due in June. However, officials now suggest an extension is likely, pending the CM’s approval.

Home Minister G Parameshwara confirmed that several community representatives have written to both the government and the commission requesting more time due to the scale of the exercise. “We recognise the magnitude of this task,” he said, “but the final decision rests with the Chief Minister.”

The reclassification of SC communities has long been contentious, with tensions between the Right sect (deemed more socio-economically advanced) and the Left sect, which has persistently demanded internal reservation. The move to rework the quota matrix gained momentum after the Supreme Court, in August 2023, asked state governments to take responsibility for such reclassifications.

The survey began May 4 and is being conducted in three phases: door-to-door visits, public data collection camps, and digital submissions via an app. So far, officials report 50% coverage, with 10.5 lakh households surveyed—surpassing the initial estimate of 18.5 lakh homes.

Progress has been swift in urban zones like Bengaluru, where 38,000 of 45,224 homes have already been surveyed. Rural areas are lagging.

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