Karnataka Governor gives assent to SC internal reservation bill

Bengaluru, Feb 27 (PTI) Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has given assent to the internal reservation bill for the scheduled caste, sources in Lok Bhavan said on Friday.

The Karnataka government got the gubernatorial assent to the bill on Thursday, which was passed by both the Houses of Karnataka Legislature.

The Governor’s nod will pave way for filling over 56,000 vacant posts in the state, official sources said.

"The Governor gave his assent to the Karnataka Scheduled Castes (Sub-Classification) Bill, 2025 on Thursday," a Lok Bhavan official told PTI.

In the absence of the Governor’s approval, vacant posts in the government could not be filled, official sources said.

Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Karnataka Minister H K Patil on Thursday said the state government will proceed with recruitment under the existing 50 per cent reservation cap in view of the stay on the enhanced quota and internal reservation, while continuing to pursue its case before the court.

The law and parliamentary affairs minister said the Cabinet discussed internal reservation among Scheduled Castes and the impact of the interim stay granted by the Karnataka High Court to an Act passed in 2022 to increase reservation from 50 per cent to 56 per cent.

According to Patil, the decision will pave the way to carry out a recruitment drive to fill more than 56,000 vacant posts in the state government.

"The Cabinet held a detailed discussion on continuing the recruitment process in view of the increase in reservation percentage for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the challenge to internal reservation among Scheduled Castes before the high court," he said.

The government would issue fresh recruitment notifications in accordance with the reservation order and roster points that were in force before December 28, 2022, he added. PTI GMS GMS KH