Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday said his government has decided to withhold the bill mandating job reservation for Kannadigas in private sector due to “certain confusion.”

He said the bill will be taken up for discussion in the next cabinet meeting to clear the doubts. “On Monday, complete discussion (on the topic) could not take place in the cabinet meeting. By then reports had appeared in the media,” he told the Karnataka assembly.

“There was some confusion. We will clear those confusions in the next cabinet meeting. Let’s have a detailed discussion.” The CM was replying to Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka’s demand to clarify the state government’s stand on the bill. He said the Chief Minister changed his message on ‘X’ thrice. Ashoka recalled that Siddaramaiah in his first post said that the cabinet has decided 100 per cent reservation for Kannadigas in the private sector and then deleted it. The Chief Minister then posted another message saying that there will be 50 per cent reservation in the management category and 70 per cent in non-management category for Kannadigas. “Finally, you announced putting the bill on hold.

There appears to be a Tughlaq government in Karnataka,” he said. In his reply, the Chief Minister said, “There is no Tughlaq government, but Siddramaiah government. We will take up the bill in the next cabinet meeting.”

The state cabinet had on Monday cleared the Karnataka State Employment of Local Candidates in the Industries, Factories and Other Establishments Bill, 2024’, which makes it compulsory for private firms to reserve jobs for Kannadigas.

“Any industry, factory or other establishments shall appoint fifty per cent of local candidates in management categories and seventy per cent in non-management categories,” the bill read.

If the candidates do not possess secondary school certificates with Kannada as a language, they should pass a Kannada proficiency test as specified by the ‘Nodal Agency’, it added.

The nodal agency will have powers to call for any records information or documents in the possession of an employer or occupier or manager of an establishment for the purpose of verifying the report. The government may appoint an officer not below the rank of Assistant Labour Commissioner as the authorised officer for the purposes of compliance of the provisions of the Act. Any Employer or Occupier or Manager of an Establishment, who contravenes the provisions of this Act should be liable for a penalty between Rs 10,000 to Rs 25,000. The move drew flak from the industry.

NASSCOM even cautioned that the companies will move out of Karnataka.

Ministers quickly issued a statement assuring companies that their interest will be protected.