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Karnataka Legislative Assembly has passed a Bill to provide 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts, amidst strong protests by opposition Bharatiya Janata Party.
BJP MLAs climbed on the podium where Speaker U T Khader’s chair is placed and threw papers at him. On Khader’s direction, Marshals evicted the MLAs, who tried to surround the Speaker’s chair. Leader of Opposition, R Ashoka, termed the Bill ‘unconstitutional’.
The ‘Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2025’ was piloted by Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil.
According to PTI, The Cabinet on last Friday had approved an amendment to the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act, reserving for Muslims 4 per cent of contracts in (civil) works valued up to Rs 2 crore, and goods/services procurement contracts up to Rs 1 crore.
This was announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in his 2025-26 Budget, presented on March 7.
At present, Karnataka has reservation in civil works contracts for SC/STs (24 per cent) and OBC contractors belonging to Category-1 (4 per cent) and Category-2A (15 per cent).
There were demands to add Muslims under Category-2B of the OBCs with a reservation of 4 per cent.
The BJP has termed the Karnataka government’s move to provide four per cent reservation to Muslims in government contracts an ‘unconstitutional misadventure’, and had said it will oppose it at all levels, including challenging it in court, until it is rolled back.
On the Karnataka government’s approval of a 4% minority quota in contracts, BJP State president BY Vijayendra quoted by ANI , “… Why give the reservation only to Muslims? The Chief Minister has forgotten all the other backward classes. BJP opposes the injustice done to the Hindu communities in Karnataka… Hindu women are the ones affected by love jihad in Karnataka… Maybe the CM has forgotten that he is not just a CM to the Muslims… BJP will hold protests against this corrupt and Minority appeasement party across Karnataka.”
The Bill that was presented in the Assembly further amends the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act, 1999.
Meanwhile, In another move, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly has also passed bills approving a salary hike for the Chief Minister, Ministers, and all legislators, which will cost the exchequer Rs 62 crore annually.
The Karnataka Ministers Salaries and Allowance (Amendment) Bill and the Karnataka Legislature Salaries, Pensions and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2025 were passed amid chaos, without any discussion, as the opposition BJP protested against the 4 per cent reservation for Muslims in public contracts and demanded a judicial probe into an alleged “honey-trap” attempt involving a minister.
As per the Karnataka Ministers Salaries and Allowance (Amendment) Bill, the Chief Minister’s monthly salary will increase from Rs 75,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh, while ministers’ salaries will rise from Rs 60,000 to Rs 1.25 lakh.
