Bengaluru: Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot has on Wednesday reserved for presidential assent the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government’s Bill to introduce a 4 per cent quota for Muslims in contracts.
He also said that the Constitution doesn't allow granting reservations based on religion. Governor Thawar Chand Gahlot said he is sending the bill to the President using his discretionary powers.
“The Constitution of India does not permit reservation based on religion, as it violates the principles of equality (Article 14), non-discrimination (Article 15) and equal opportunity in public employment (Article 16),” Gehlot said in his communication to the President.
The Governor argued that the Supreme Court “has consistently” ruled that affirmative action must be based on social and educational backwardness and not religious identity.
The "Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill", aimed to grant 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts, was passed by the state assembly last month. The Bill proposes to provide Muslims with a 4 per cent reservation in construction works contracts valued up to Rs 1 crore.
Earlier last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at a public event in Haryana, hit out at the Congress government for reservation in tenders on the basis of religion by "snatching away" the rights of SC/STs and OBCs.
Responding to PM Modi’s allegations, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said, “We are giving reservation to SC/ST also. Our aim is to uplift those who are not financially stable; they have to come into the mainstream, that is our intention."
