After a gap of over a year, the State government has appointed former Minister K. Jayaprakash Hegde as the chairperson of the Karnataka State Permanent Backward Classes Commission, leading to a speculation that caste census report could be released.
One of the recent demands made by several caste groups and politicians representing them was the appointment of a head for the commission that could lead to the submission of the socio-economic census of the State, also called the caste census. The census had been commissioned by the erstwhile Congress government led by Siddaramaiah in 2016-2017, and the report is yet to be submitted by the commission.
The commission had remained headless after H. Kantharaj under whom the commission undertook the survey had demitted office. “Only the commission chairperson could submit the report,” sources said.
Over the last few months, as several caste groups have been pushing for higher reservation that is commensurate with the population, the caste census report, a part of which had been leaked earlier, has been considered the basis since the report provides details of population and their socio-economic status. Recently, Ministers B. Sriramulu and K.S. Eshwarappa also urged the Chief Minister to appoint the chairperson so that the report, which is believed to be ready, could be submitted to the government
Mr. Hegde, a former Member of Parliament, is expected to meet Mr. Yediyurappa on Tuesday in Bengaluru. Sources in the Chief Minister’s Office said Mr. Hegde’s choice had surprised many, and was decided by the Chief Minister. When asked if the census report would be released, sources said they were not sure about the brief Mr. Hegde has.
