Karnataka Guv Sends Bill Ensuring 4% Muslim Quota In Govt Contracts For President's Assent

Bengaluru: Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot has sent Karnataka government’s bill ensuring 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in government contracts for President’s Assent.

The Congress-led Karnataka government had passed the bill in the recently concluded session and sent it for Governor's approval. But the constitution doesn't allow religion-based reservation, therefore, the Governor did not sign the bill and sent it for President's assent.

The governor said that the Constitution doesn’t allow quota based on religion. Governor Gehlot said that the bill has been sent for President’s assent using his discretionary powers.

The Karnataka Assembly passed Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, ensuring 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts in March this year.

However, a BJP -led opposition including the JDS opposed the bill saying the constitution doesn’t allow reservation based on religion.

BJP and Janata Dal Secular termed the bill “unconstitutional” and told the Governor that the Amendment bill will polarise the society.

The Congress -led Karnataka government has sought 4 per cent reservation for Muslims as part of members of a specific backward communities after it included Momin and Julaha in Central OBC lists.

The government had earlier provision of 24 per cent reservation for scheduled castes and tribes in civil contracts however in 2025 the government also included backward classes. Inclusion of Muslims in the backward classes has been done as an OBC sub-category.

In another development, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya lashed out at the Congress saying the party punctured itself by doing the politics of Muslim appeasement.

Taking to X, Keshav Prasad Maurya said that the history of politics is witness to the Congress getting itself punctured by doing the politics of Muslim appeasement for decades. Despite this bitter truth, it is still far away from realising the ground reality. The truth is also that it has no other way except to crawl on the crutches of regional parties.

Keshav Prasad Maurya further slammed the Grand Old Party saying that despite being in the opposition, it behaves like the ruling party.

He said that the Congress believes in 'monarchy' under the Gandhi family's shadow instead of democracy and has never cared about the Constitution.