The Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes submitted the report of the socio-economic and educational survey, or the caste census, to the Karnataka Cabinet on Friday, April 11.
As per media reports, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the caste census report and its recommendations are set to be discussed at the next meeting of the State Cabinet. The next Karnataka Cabinet meeting is scheduled for April 17.
“Some ministers wanted time to read through the report,” Siddaramaiah said.
Karnataka caste census
The Karnataka Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, commonly known as the ‘Karnataka caste census’, was commissioned by the previous Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in 2015. Then-Backward Classes Commission chairman H Kantharaju headed the committee that conducted the survey.
The survey, conducted at a cost of approximately ₹169 crore, was completed by 2016, but subsequent governments kept it in cold storage. In 2020, the BJP government appointed Jayaprakash Hegde as the commission chief. Hegde submitted the final report to the Siddaramaiah government on February 29, 2024.
However, pressure from the Vokkaliga and Lingayat communities has kept discussions around the Karnataka caste census on hold.
Karnataka Cabinet sets up SIT to probe BJP govt
Meanwhile, on Friday, the Karnataka Cabinet decided to set up a Special Investigation Team to probe the 40 per cent commission allegations against the previous BJP government in the state.
This comes in light of Justice Manmohan Das’s Commission inquiry report.
The SIT will complete the investigation in two months and submit the report to the state government, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil told reporters.
Subsequently, the probe report will be presented in the cabinet meeting.
“The report is in two volumes. It endorses the allegations of irregularities,” he said.
Patil further noted that, out of three lakh works, Justice Nagamohan Das’s report examined a sample of 1,729 works and conducted an inquiry. The minister alleged that more money was released than the sanctioned amount, no-objection certificates were issued out of turn, and there was interference in the tender process.
