Speaker K.R. Ramesh Kumar has set July 27 as the deadline for the State government to begin the process of implementing the State legislation that allows reservation in promotions to those from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in government posts.
The Speaker issued the directive to the government after Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Krishna Byre Gowda told the Assembly that the State was awaiting the outcome of the Supreme Court’s hearing on July 27 related to the issue before implementing its own legislation on reservation in promotions to SC and ST employees.
Mr. Gowda explained that Karnataka had come out with a legislation to make legal provision for reservation in promotion to SCs and STs after the Supreme Court struck down such provisions.
Though the Supreme Court had not stayed the provisions of the new legislation, it was looking into its impact, the Minister said. He said the Karnataka government was committed to implementing its legislation providing for reservation. “However, we want to go methodically and hence we are waiting for the outcome of the court’s hearing,” he said. The Speaker asked the government not to wait beyond July 27 for commencing the process of implementing the new legislation.
While hearing the B.K. Pavitra and others vs Union of India case in February 2017, the apex court had ordered striking down of seniority in promotions awarded to SC and ST employees. The State government then came out with a new legislation to circumvent the apex court’s order.
