Karnataka Cabinet approved a bill mandating reservation for Kannadigas in private sector jobs, but Chief Minister Siddaramaiah later announced the decision has been temporarily put on hold for further review.
Coimbatore: The Karnataka Cabinet's decision to approve a bill mandating reservation for Kannadigas in private sector jobs has been temporarily put on hold, as announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The bill, which aimed to provide job security for local residents, will be revisited and decided in the coming days.
Earlier, the Karnataka Cabinet had approved a bill that mandated 100% reservation for Kannadigas in 'C & D' grade posts across all private sector organizations in the state. The proposed legislation also required 50% reservation in administrative roles and 75% in non-administrative positions for local Kannada-speaking individuals.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed his government's intention on Twitter, stating, "It is our government's wish that the Kannadigas should avoid being deprived of jobs in the land of Kannada and should be given an opportunity to build a comfortable life in the motherland."
The bill defined a local Kannadiga as someone born in Karnataka and having lived there for at least 15 years, or someone who can speak and write Kannada. In cases where qualified local candidates were unavailable, the bill proposed that companies work with the government to provide training to local individuals within three years.
The legislation also included penalties for non-compliance, with fines ranging from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 25,000 for companies failing to adhere to the reservation policy. Continued violations would result in additional fines, potentially extending up to Rs. 100 per day until compliance was achieved.
The Karnataka government had initially planned to pass this bill in the upcoming legislative assembly session on July 18. However, with the Chief Minister's recent announcement, the fate of this controversial bill remains uncertain as it awaits further review and discussion.