Karnataka govt puts private sector quota bill on hold | Latest News India

The Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government on Wednesday put on hold work on a controversial bill mandating reservation for Kannadigas in the private sector.

“The bill to provide reservation for Kannadigas in companies, industries and private sector undertakings is still in the drafting stage. A comprehensive discussion will be held in the next Cabinet meeting to take a final decision,” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in a post on X.

“The Bill approved by the Cabinet to provide reservation to Kannadigas in private sector organisations, industries and undertakings has been temporarily put on hold. It will be reconsidered and decided in the coming days,” PTI quoted a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office as saying.

“Every industrial establishment, factory or other establishment must appoint fifty percent of local candidates for management positions and seventy percent for non-management positions,” read the bill that sparked outrage.

The Karnataka government has come under fire for its quota legislation for Kannadigas, with industry giants calling the bill a “regressive, short-sighted move.”

READ ALSO: ‘Restrictions May Force Businesses to…’: Nasscom on Kannadiga Reservation Bill

Siddaramaiah deleted X’s post on 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in which he said, “Yesterday’s cabinet meeting approved a bill that will make recruitment of 100 per cent Kannadigas mandatory for class ‘C’ and ‘D’ posts in all private industries in the state.”

“As a technology hub, we need skilled talent and while the aim is to provide jobs to locals, we cannot compromise our leadership in technology with this move. There needs to be caveats that exclude recruitment of highly skilled workers from this policy,” said Biocon managing director Kiran Mazumdar Shaw.

As the backlash against the bill heated up, Karnataka Chief Minister MB Patil said he would take up the issue with the external affairs minister, IT-BT minister, law minister and labour minister.

“We will hold wider consultations. We will ensure that the interests of Kannadigas are protected, as are the interests of industries,” he said.

(With PTI inputs)