President gives nod to Karnataka Bill granting reservation in government contracts

The Karnataka Transparency and Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill 2016 provides reservation to SC and ST members for procuring government contract works up to Rs 50 lakh.
President gives nod to Karnataka Bill granting reservation in government contracts
President gives nod to Karnataka Bill granting reservation in government contracts
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President Pranab Mukherjee finally gave his assent to the Karnataka Transparency and Public Procurement (Amendment) Bill 2016, media reports said.

With this move, the SC and ST contractors in the state will enjoy a 24 % reservation for procuring government contract works up to Rs 50 lakh.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his government had amended the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Bill in 2016 to provide reservation to members of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes.

Now, Dalit contractors will enjoy 17.15% reservation and ST contractors 6.95% for all government contract which cost less than Rs 50 lakh.

In August 2016, Governor of Karnataka, Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala had rejected the amended Bill, citing constitutional violations.

The Governor had then sent the bill to the President for clearance. Governor Vala has said that the provisions mentioned in the Bill were against those in the Constitution which restricts caste-based reservation in education, employment and electoral system.

The Bill had been put on the backburner till June 17 when President Pranab Mukherjee visited Bengaluru for the inauguration of Namma Metro's Green line, media reports said.

This reservation is applicable to works of Panchayat Raj, Public Works Department and Urban Local Bodies.

This is a major win for the Congress government to show itself as pro-Dalit in the run up to the 2018 Assembly Elections.

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