Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said his government will enact legislation to ensure reservation for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes in proportion to their population in the state. Replying to a discussion on the issue in the Legislative Council on Tuesday, he said there was a demand for increasing reservation from the existing 50% to 70%.

The government has provided caste-based reservation in government jobs, in education and elections to local bodies. However, Siddaramaiah said the proposed legislation intended to increase the reservation facility for government jobs and education.

“A decision will be taken on the extent to which reservation can be increased. A bill will be drafted and sent to the Centre during the next legislature session. As a Constitutional amendment is necessary to enact the law, the cooperation of the Centre is essential. BJP leader K S Eshwarappa should take initiative in Delhi to ensure the bill gets the Centre’s approval,” he said.

Siddaramaiah also took a dig at the Opposition BJP saying he was pleasantly surprised that the party had extended its support to the proposed legislation, as it had always opposed reservation.

Irked by this, Eshwarappa said such issues should not be politicised. The BJP has always worked towards the welfare of the poor and backward communities. Siddaramaiah said that in Tamil Nadu, the reservation was 69%, which had been included in the Constitution. A study would be conducted on how the neighbouring state enacted the legislation.

There has been a demand nationwide that reservation be accorded based on the population. It is necessary to amend the Constitution for the same, he said.“It is important for one of the states to push for the said amendment. This will be done by Karnataka,” he added.

Siddaramaiah said the findings of the socio-economic census conducted by the government would be released by the end of December or January 2017. The same will be tabled in the House. Based on the findings of the census, the government will draft a bill to increase reservation in order to ensure social justice.

Siddaramaiah challenged BJP to reveal even one order issued by it in favour of reservation. He said he would retire from politics if BJP could prove his charges. He said that BJP has been opposing reservation and had also moved the Supreme Court opposing the implementation of the Mandal Commission recommendations. When 50% reservation was accorded in urban local bodies, former BJP MP Rama Jois had petitioned the apex court against it.