Sun May 04 19:17:54 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka Launches New Caste Survey Amidst Internal Reservation Debate

**Bengaluru, May 5, 2025** – Karnataka is embarking on a new caste survey, commencing Monday, aimed at resolving the long-standing issue of internal reservations within the Scheduled Castes (SCs). This follows a Supreme Court ruling in August 2024 allowing states to redistribute the existing 17% SC reservation based on empirical data. The survey, led by retired High Court judge H.N. Nagmohan Das, will specifically address the decades-old conflict between the Dalit left (Madiga) and Dalit right (Holeya) castes, both claiming a disproportionate share of benefits.

The move comes after the state cabinet accepted the findings of a previous Socio-Economic and Educational Survey, although a final decision on its implementation remains pending, particularly in light of the Centre’s announcement of a nationwide caste census alongside the 2026 national census. Past attempts to address internal reservation, including a 2012 commission report, have been met with controversy and political inaction due to fears of backlash from dominant communities like the Vokkaligas and Lingayats. Previous surveys and proposed reservation matrices have been challenged due to inconsistencies in caste nomenclature and data collection, particularly concerning the overlapping use of terms like “Adi Karnataka.”

The current survey aims to clarify these inconsistencies and provide accurate socio-economic data for a fair distribution of the existing reservation quota. Caste groups are actively engaging with communities to encourage accurate self-identification during the enumeration process. The state government has demonstrated commitment by temporarily halting public recruitment until the Das Commission’s report is released, signaling a potential implementation of the new reservation matrix. Results are expected within months, but the wait remains tense for both the Dalit left and right factions.

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