Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], August 4 : Justice Das Commission, a one-person commission led by Justice Nagamohan Das, on Monday submitted its 1,766-page survey report on internal reservation to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in the presence of several ministers of the state.
Speaking to reporters, Justice Das said the commission's report recommends that internal reservation be provided to the Scheduled Caste (SC).
"After analysing the entire data, the commission has submitted its report to the Karnataka government. It is about a 1,766-page survey report. The survey was done through a mobile application. For a long time, it was my desire that the Scheduled Caste deserve internal reservation. I also recommended to the government that internal reservation must be provided," Justice Das told the media here.
CM Siddaramaiah posted on X, saying, "The committee headed by retired Justice HN Nagamohan Das, formed to study the implementation of internal reservations for Scheduled Castes, submitted its study report today. The report, including survey data and appendices, totalling approximately 1766 pages and containing 6 recommendations, was submitted today, and I believe it is a significant milestone in the implementation of social justice."
In October 2024, the Karnataka government had decided to establish a one-person commission to provide advice on implementing internal reservation for scheduled castes.
A cabinet decision led to the formation of the commission, headed by a retired High Court judge, which was tasked to review data before making its next decision. The commission was instructed to submit a report within three months.
The decision to set up the commission came against the backdrop of the Supreme Court ruling to grant internal reservation to Scheduled Castes.
The court had given the power to the states to decide which castes and tribes should be given internal reservations in government jobs.
For three decades, the effort to provide justice to the untouchables through internal reservation in the Scheduled Castes persisted. The demand for internal reservations grew throughout SM Krishna's time as CM. In light of this, the Karnataka government had considered a proposal to form an independent commission.
Later, the Congress-JDS alliance government headed by Dharam Singh formed a commission under the leadership of AG Sadashiva to conduct a study and make recommendations in 2005.
In 2012, the Sadashiva Commission had submitted a recommendation to the then Chief Minister DV Sadanand Gowda-led BJP government that the reservation of 15 per cent for the Scheduled Castes could be given to the left hand to 6 per cent to the right hand to 5.5 per cent to the untouchable sub-castes by 3 per cent and to the castes not belonging to these three groups by 1 per cent.