Bommai cabinet okays 2 new quota groups for Panchamasalis, Vokkaligas

BELAGAVI: Acceding to the demands of the Panchamasali Lingayat community and the Vokkaligas, the Basavaraj Bommai Cabinet has approved reservation for both groups by creating two additional categories.

The cabinet decided to create two new categories — 2C and 2D — and bring the Panchamasali Lingayat community under the latter category. However, the percentage of reservation has not been fixed yet.

Briefing reporters after the meeting at the Suvarna Vidhana Soudha here, Law Minister J C Madhuswamy said, “The cabinet has approved bringing three groups under two categories. Vokkaligas and others who were under 3A category will come under 2C category and likewise, Lingayats and others, who were under 3B category will come under 2D category. This will not affect the reservation for 2A and 2B categories”, he stressed.

Law Minister J C Madhuswamy.

As of now, Lingayats have reservation under 3B and Vokkaligas under 3A categories. These will be brought under 2C and 2D categories and hence, 3A and 3B categories will cease to exist. All facilities given under 3A and 3B categories will be continued under 2C and 2D categories and reservation will be given in education and employment. But there will be no political reservation, the minister explained.

Further, he said that the reservation limit has not been fixed yet, and the 10 per cent reservation for economically backward classes will be looked into before deciding on the reservation for the two new categories, he added.

Basava Jayamruthyunjaya Swami of Kudalasangama Mutt had been leading an agitation to demand reservation for Panchamasali Lingayats under 2A category and had set December 29 as the deadline for the government to take a decision.