Karnataka Assembly Passes 4% Muslim Quota Bill Amid BJP Protests

The Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2025, on Friday, granting a 4% reservation for Muslims in public contracts, despite fierce opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The contentious legislation, piloted by Law Minister H.K. Patil, triggered chaos as BJP MLAs stormed the Speaker’s podium, hurling papers at U.T. Khader, who ordered marshals to evict the protesters.

The bill amends the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act, 1999, reserving 4% of civil works contracts up to Rs 2 crore and goods/services contracts up to Rs 1 crore for Muslims under Category-2B of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Chief Minister Siddaramaiah first announced this in the 2025-26 Budget on March 7, with cabinet approval following on March 14. Current reservations include 24% for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST), 4% for OBC Category-1, and 15% for Category-2A, with the new measure aimed at boosting employment among backward classes.

BJP Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka branded the bill “unconstitutional,” vowing to challenge it legally and fight it “at all levels” until repealed. The opposition argues it violates constitutional bans on religion-based discrimination, escalating protests that saw BJP MLAs climb the Speaker’s chair in defiance. The bill also sets procurement quotas for goods and services—17.5% for SC, 6.95% for ST, and 4% each for Category-1 and 2B, alongside 15% for Category-2A—without additional state expenditure.

The passage marks a victory for the Congress-led government, which frames the policy as a step toward social equity, amid demands to include Muslims in Category-2B. However, the BJP’s resistance signals a looming legal and political battle over Karnataka’s reservation framework.