Karnataka govt may wait till Lok Sabha polls to accept caste census report

Although chief minister Siddaramaiah had promised to roll out proposals of the contentious socio-economic caste survey report prepared by the Kantharaj commission, the government is likely to delay the process of accepting the report.

While multiple reasons, including legal hassles and political compulsions, are causing a delay, officials and senior Congress functionaries said the government is likely to wait till the completion of Lok Sabha , likely in April-May next year, before taking a final call on the issue.

In 2014, the then Siddaramaiah government had directedKarnatakaState Commission for Backward Classes (BC Commission) to conduct the survey, commonly known as the caste census. The briefwas to enumerate communities eligible for government welfare schemes.

Their contention was that the commission had miscalculated their Population, as a leaked version of the report suggested Lingayats account for 14% and Vokkaliga 11% of the population. The communities argued that it is much higher at 19% and 16%, respectively. Subsequent governments chose not to bite the bullet.