Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to speak on caste census report after cabinet discussion on April 17

Siddaramaiah, the chief minister of Karnataka, stated on Monday that he would only comment on the caste census report following the special cabinet meeting that is set for April 17 and during which the matter will be thoroughly examined. "On April 17, we have called a cabinet meeting to address this one topic. After honoring B R Ambedkar on the 134th anniversary of his birth, Siddaramaiah told reporters, "I will speak on it after the discussion," according to news agency PTI.

On April 11, the Karnataka cabinet approved the Socio-Economic and Educational Survey, also known as the caste census. The assignment was given to the State Backward Classes Commission, which was chaired by H Kantharaju at the time, during Siddaramaiah's first term as chief minister.

The current chairwoman of the commission, K Jayaprakash Hegde, released the final report in February 2024 after the data collection was finished in 2018. According to a 2015 caste study, Muslims comprise over 13% of Karnataka's population, while Scheduled Castes (SC) comprise over 18%. In comparison, fewer than 25% of the state's population is made up of the majority Vokkaligas and Lingayats.