Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | It is a blow to OBC interests' by Rishikesh Bahadur Desai

It is a blow to OBC interests' by Rishikesh Bahadur Desai

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Nov 7, 2010   modified Modified on Nov 7, 2010

The number of seats for them in ZPs will go down following amendment to Act

A recent Ordinance of the State Government amends the Karnataka Panchayat Raj Act and caps the reservation to various deprived communities at 50 per cent. This means that half the seats are available to general merit candidates. This, according to the Ordinance, will be achieved by keeping the reservation for SC/STs intact and reducing the number of seats reserved for OBCs.

Many backward class leaders have opposed this move as they say it will affect the balance of political power in the villages.

This will impact the political system at the grassroots levels. The order will reduce the total number of OBC seats in zilla panchayats to 223 from 334. This is an average reduction of 33 per cent. The new seat matrix has been published on the State Election Commission's website www.karsec.gov.in.

The worst affected district is Raichur where the reduction will be 84 per cent. The zilla panchayat in this district has 35 seats. The OBC seats there would be reduced to 2 from 12.

In Chitradurga, the reduction in seats would be to 3 from 11 (75 per cent). In Bidar, to 3 from 10 (73 p.c.), Bellary, 3 from 10 (70 p.c.), Kolar, 7 from 18 (62 p.c.), Chamarajanagar, 3 from 7 (58 p.c.), Mysore 7 from 15 (54 p.c.), Davangere 5 from 11 (55 p.c.), Bangalore Urban 5 from 9 (55 p.c.). Districts where there will be no change are Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Mandya, Dharwad and Uttara Kannada.

Taluk panchayats will also witness significant changes. As many as nine taluk panchayats will not have any seats reserved for OBC or minority community members.

“It is fatal to the welfare of the backward classes. It destroys the concept of proportional representation to these sections. It is unconstitutional and should be withdrawn,” says former chairman of the backward classes commission Ravivarma Kumar.

According to him, the 50 per cent cap on reservation fixed by the Supreme Court was only for education and employment and not political reservation.

“Reducing the quantum of reservation for backward classes amounts to supporting the politically overrepresented castes. Over the years, Lingayats and Vokkaligas, who together form about 25 per cent of the State's population, have been winning over 50 per cent seats in the State Assembly. If these seats are reserved, OBCs and minorities will be kept out of the local self-government system for ever,” says Congress MLC Khaji Arshed Ali. He and some other Congress leaders are planning to challenge the Government Order in the High Court.

Janata Dal (S) leader and former Law Minister M.C. Nanaiah has questioned the wisdom of the Government in going in for an Ordinance to make such an important change in the reservation policy.

Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Jagadish Shettar ruled out withdrawing the Ordinance or the order. He said that the matrix was fixed according to the Supreme Court order in the Mandal case and was legal and valid.


The Hindu, 8 November, 2010, http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/article873564.ece


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close