Karnataka demotes 3,000 SC/ST officials

BENGALURU: The Karnataka government has issued orders demoting around 3,000 SC/ST officials in government service as President Ramnath Kovind has not given his assent to a bill passed by the state legislature regularising these promotions.

The orders have come with just 18 days to go for the state assembly elections in Karnataka. SC/STs form an estimated 25% of the state’s 6.5-cr population and are being assiduously wooed by all political parties.

A senior government official told ET that the state had passed the Karnataka Determination of Seniority of Government Servants Promoted on the Basis of Reservation (To the Posts in the Civil Services of the State) Act in 2002, assuring reservation in promotions in government jobs for SC/STs. This was challenged by an employee BK Pavitra in the Supreme Court, which in a judgement in February 2017, struck down the Act.


“The apex court in its judgement said that promotions had to be based on the extent of representation of the SC/STs in the bureaucracy, the backwardness of the candidate and efficiency, not just on reservation. The state government set up a committee under the then additional secretary K Ratna Prabha and based on its recommendations, got another law passed in the legislature in November 2017 regularising the promotions,” the official outlined.

However, when this Bill was sent to state Governor Vajubhai Vala, he sent it back to the government stating that it required the President’s assent. “We sent it to the President’s office, where it is still pending,” the official explained.

A contempt petition was filed in the Supreme Court earlier this year seeking implementation of the February 2017 judgement. The state requested the apex court for more time and this was given twice. “April 25 was the final deadline set. So, we have no option but to implement the judgement and under the revised seniority list, some 3,000 SC/ST employees are getting demoted,” he added.