The Congress-led government in Karnataka put the reservation bill for Kannadigas in private firms on hold amid outrage on Wednesday. "The bill approved by the cabinet to provide reservation for Kannadigas in private sector organizations, industries and enterprises has been temporarily put on hold. This will be revisited and decided in the coming days," Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah posted on X.
The bill will be discussed in detail in the next Cabinet meeting and a decision will be taken, the CMO said.
The Congress government went on the defensive after the aggressive push for a '70 per cent reservation' for Kannadigas in the private sector operating in the state following a severe backlash from business honchos and tech tycoons.
The state Cabinet on Monday cleared the Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024, which makes it compulsory for private firms to reserve jobs for Kannadigas.
"Any industry, factory or other establishments shall appoint fifty per cent of local candidates in management categories and seventy percent in non-management categories," the bill read.
"If the candidates do not possess secondary school certificates with Kannada as a language, should pass a Kannada proficiency test as specified by the 'Nodal Agency," it added.
The nodal agency will have powers to call for any records information or documents in the possession of an employer or occupier or manager of an establishment for the purpose of verifying the report, the bill stated. The government may appoint an officer not below the rank of Assistant Labour Commissioner as the authorised officer for the purposes of compliance of the provisions of the Act.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah deleted his post on 'X' about '100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas'.
He posted another message on the social media platform that the Cabinet approved the bill to fix 50 per cent reservation for administrative posts and 75 per cent for non-administrative posts for Kannadigas in private industries and other organisations.
