Karnataka Approves 4% Reservation for Minorities in Government Contracts

The Congress-led government defends the policy as inclusive of all minorities, while opposition parties criticize it as unconstitutional and politically motivated.

Karnataka's cabinet has approved a 4% reservation for minorities, including Muslims, in public tenders for government contracts up to ₹1 crore.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar clarified that the policy is not exclusive to Muslims but applies to all minority communities and backward classes.
The amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act will also raise the reservation limit for SC/ST contractors from ₹1 crore to ₹2 crore.
Opposition BJP leaders, including Ravi Shankar Prasad and Tejasvi Surya, have condemned the move as unconstitutional and an example of appeasement politics.
The Congress government plans to present the bill for formal legislative approval during the ongoing budget session.