Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has introduced a bill in the Legislative Assembly to provide a 4% reservation for Muslims in public contracts. Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.K. Patil tabled the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (Amendment) Bill, 2025 on March 18, implementing a proposal from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s 2025-26 Budget.
The bill amends the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurements (KTPP) Act, reserving 4% of contracts for Muslims in goods and services (up to ₹1 crore) and civil works (up to ₹2 crore). Currently, reservations in civil contracts are:
• SCs: 24%
• STs: 6.95%
• OBC (Category 1): 4%
• OBC (Category 2A): 15%
Muslims are proposed to be added under OBC Category 2B with a 4% quota.
BJP’s Opposition
The BJP has strongly opposed the move, calling it an “unconstitutional misadventure” and vowing to challenge it in court.
Objective of the Bill
According to its objectives, the bill aims to reduce unemployment among underprivileged Muslims by promoting their participation in government contracts. It also extends reservations to SCs, STs, and OBCs in select departments for contracts up to ₹1 crore in goods and services procurement.
The government has stated that the legislative change will not incur additional costs.
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