Bengaluru, Oct 17: In the wake of veiled threats by Some Dalit organizations against ignoring promotion quota, the chief minister H D Kumaraswamy led JD(S)-Congress coalition government has sought opinion over implementing a legislation providing reservation in promotion for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes employees.
The development comes ahead of bypolls to three parliamentary and two legislative assembly constituencies in Karnataka.
While the Supreme Court is set for a final hearing on the issue next week, the government, sources said, has been under pressure from SC/ST employees association, which is seeking implementation of the Karnataka Extension of Consequential Seniority to Government Servants Promoted on the basis of Reservation (to the posts in Civil Services of the State) Act, 2017, which came into force in June this year.
Recently, a delegation led by D Shivashankar of the SC/ST Employees’ Association had met Kumaraswamy in Ramanagara to urge him to fulfil the promise or face the ire of Dalits in the bypolls.
“Though the Congress was instrumental in introducing the Bill to protect SC/ST government employees, JD(S) is not showing the same zeal in implementing it. Dalits are very upset and it could have a bearing on the prospects of Congress candidates in some constituencies, since the BJP is expected to take advantage of it,” said N A Govindappa, state president of the federation of Backward Classes, Minorities and Dalits (Ahinda).
However, JD(S) and Congress leaders said there will be no differences between their parties over the issue. “We are equally committed to implementing the SC/ST promotion Bill and are waiting for bypolls to get over. Our target is to defeat the BJP and nothing else will come between,” a senior JD(S) minister said, without wanting to be dragged into the issue.
In the recent assembly polls, sources said the voting pattern clearly suggested that BJP had immensely benefited from the SC/ST community, especially in central Karnataka, where they won a record number of seats.
Opposition
Meanwhile, Ahimsa, the organisation that represents general category, backward classes and minority employees, has approached the Election Commission on Tuesday and submitted a memorandum to Chief Electoral Officer, urging the commission not to allow implementation of the Act since the model code of conduct is in place.
“SC/ST Ministers and officials are wrongly interpreting the court order and urging the government to implement the Act. The action of the government is illegal. Government may take action to woo the SC/ST voters for their parties during this byelections,” the memorandum said.
A similar memorandum has been submitted to the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary.
According to a Ahimsa functionary, the government can wait till the court order. “What is the hurry to implement the act without the permission of the court? We have told the government that we will resort to non-cooperation if the act is hurriedly implemented,” the functionary said.
When contacted for his reaction, Chief Electoral Officer Sanjiv Kumar said: “Normally no new policy decision can be implemented during the electoral process. However, court orders can be implemented. I have not seen the memorandum yet and I cannot comment on this particular issue.”
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