On 27 March 2023, Banjara (Lambani) protesters in Shikaripura, Shivamogga district, threw stones at the house of former Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa. They were protesting the Basavaraj Bommai cabinet's 24 March decision to split the 17% Scheduled Caste quota 6%, 5.5%, 4.5% and 1% among sub-groups. Police caned and lathicharged the crowd, four police personnel were reported injured, prohibitory orders were imposed and three men were arrested. The question of how to divide the SC quota outlasted the BJP government: in April 2026 the Congress government settled on a 5.25%, 5.25% and 4.5% split within 15%, and Banjara groups were still challenging it in court.
Key takeaways
- On 24 March 2023, in its last cabinet meeting before the Karnataka Assembly election, the Bommai government recommended splitting the 17% Scheduled Caste quota into 6% for SC (Left), 5.5% for SC (Right), 4.5% for "touchable" groups such as Banjara, Bhovi, Korcha and Korama, and 1% for others.
- Banjara, Bhovi, Korcha and Korama groups opposed the split, saying it would cut their share and fearing removal from the SC list; Madiga (SC Left) groups had campaigned for internal reservation for decades because they said a few sub-castes took most of the benefits.
- On 27 March 2023 a Banjara protest in Shikaripura moved to Yediyurappa's house; protesters pulled down police barricades and threw stones and slippers, damaging windows, and police caned and lathicharged them.
- After the Supreme Court allowed sub-classification of SCs on 1 August 2024, the Siddaramaiah government used the Justice H N Nagamohan Das Commission's survey to adopt a 6-6-5 split in August 2025, then cut it to 5.25-5.25-4.5 within 15% in April 2026 after the High Court stayed the 17% SC quota.
Background: the long fight over internal reservation
Karnataka's Scheduled Caste list has 101 castes. For decades, the SC (Left) groups, led by the Madiga community, have argued that the benefits of reservation go mostly to the SC (Right) groups such as the Holeyas and to the so-called "touchable" castes such as the Banjara (Lambani) and Bhovi ETV Bharat. Within the SCs, followers of Babu Jagjivan Ram are called "Right" and followers of B R Ambedkar "Left" Scroll.
In 2005 the Dharam Singh government set up the Justice A J Sadashiva Commission. Its 2012 report sorted the SCs into four groups and proposed, within the then 15% SC quota, 6% for SC (Left), 5% for SC (Right), 3% for the touchable groups and 1% for the rest ETV Bharat. Banjara, Bhovi, Koracha and Korama groups opposed the report from the start, arguing that 99 sub-castes were left to share only 4% Deccan Herald.
In 2022 the Bommai government raised the SC quota from 15% to 17% and the ST quota from 3% to 7%, and set up a cabinet sub-committee under Law Minister J C Madhuswamy on internal reservation Deccan Herald. In February 2023, Lambani leaders including Minister Prabhu Chavan and MP Umesh Jadhav urged the government to defer any decision. Deccan Herald reported that Lambanis were decisive in 25 to 30 constituencies.
The 24 March 2023 cabinet decision
On Friday 24 March 2023, in its last cabinet meeting before the election, the Bommai government made two reservation decisions. It scrapped the 4% OBC quota for Muslims and shared it between Vokkaligas and Lingayats, and it approved internal reservation for SCs South First.
There will be six percent reservation for SC Left, 5.5 percent for SC Right, and 4.5 percent for 'touchables', and one percent for others.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, 24 March 2023 (South First)
The recommendation was to be sent to the Union government. Madhuswamy told Deccan Herald the matrix was based on the 2011 census and the "remoteness of communities", not on the Sadashiva Commission's taluk-level data. Bommai said the touchable communities "will continue to be part of the SC category" Deccan Herald.
Who objected and who supported it
Banjara, Bhovi, Korcha and Korama. These groups formed the 4.5% "touchables" bracket. Deccan Herald reported they were not in favour of internal reservation because it would hit their prospects Deccan Herald. Protesters said the Sadashiva report was "unscientific" and a ploy to divide SC communities Deccan Herald. They also feared the community could be dropped from the SC list The Wire.
Madiga (SC Left) groups. Madigas had pressed for Sadashiva-style internal reservation since the 1990s ETV Bharat. BJP SC Morcha president Chalavadi Narayanaswamy called the decision "historic", and a senior Congress leader admitted "it might sway votes towards the BJP" Deccan Herald. Supporters of the decision also gathered: on 6 April the Karnataka State Scheduled Castes Federation held a "thanks-giving convention" addressed by Bommai in Hubballi Deccan Herald.
The protest on 27 March
Gathering at Ambedkar Circle
Thousands of Banjara community members protested at Ambedkar Circle in Shikaripura, raised slogans and burnt flex boards of Bommai and Yediyurappa Deccan Herald. Scroll reported the protest was under the banner of the Banjara Seva Sangha and that protesters wanted Yediyurappa or his son, MP B Y Raghavendra, to receive a memorandum Scroll.
March to Yediyurappa's house
The crowd marched to the house at Malera Keri and pulled down two police barricades. When police caned them, protesters threw stones and slippers at the house and damaged its windows. They also burnt sarees given by BJP workers on Yediyurappa's birthday Deccan Herald. Young men were filmed pulling BJP flags off a building. Yediyurappa and his son B Y Vijayendra were not at home South First.
Lathicharge and injuries
Police lathicharged to disperse the crowd. Superintendent of Police G K Mithun Kumar went to the town Deccan Herald. The protesters later held a protest outside the town panchayat office.
Three arrested
Police arrested Congress leader Raghavendra Naik of Shikaripur, Puneeth Naik of Jogihalli and Prem Kumar Naik of Chunchinakoppa. They were remanded in judicial custody Deccan Herald.
Injuries, arrests and Section 144: what was reported
- Police injuries: Deccan Herald named four injured, all with head injuries: rural inspector Lakshman, sub-inspector Manjunath Koppaluru and constables Shankara Gowda and Kantharaju Deccan Herald. ASP Bhumareddy also gave four South First. Earlier same-day reports, including Scroll's, mentioned one injured policeman.
- Protester injuries: No figure for injured protesters appeared in the reports reviewed.
- Cases and arrests: On 27 March the SP said no arrests had been made and CCTV footage was being examined. Police said they were booking protesters for obstructing public servants, and that Yediyurappa's family had filed no complaint South First. Three were arrested the next day.
- Section 144: Deccan Herald and Scroll reported that prohibitory orders banning gatherings of four or more were imposed in the town Scroll. South First quoted ASP Bhumareddy saying at one point that Section 144 had "not yet" been imposed, so the order appears to have come later that day.
Both accounts
Protesters' and Congress account
Banjara protesters said the government was implementing the Sadashiva report, which they called unscientific and divisive, and that it would cut their share Deccan Herald. Scroll reported the stones were thrown after the police baton charge Scroll. Congress MLC Prakash Rathod denied any Congress role: "Banjaras have reacted spontaneously". He accused the BJP of a "hidden agenda" to remove Banjaras from the SC list South First. Claim · D K Shivakumar The state Congress chief said the attack was a BJP conspiracy to finish Yediyurappa politically South First. No evidence for this was reported.
Police and government account
Police said protesters pulled down barricades and threw stones, injuring four personnel, and booked them for obstructing public servants Deccan Herald. Claim · Bommai Bommai said the protest "was instigated by local Congress leaders". He said Banjaras wrongly thought the Sadashiva report was being implemented, and that Bhovi, Banjara, Koracha and Korama "will remain in the SC list" with their share raised from 3% to 4.5% South First. A local Congress leader was among the three men police arrested the next day Deccan Herald.
Yediyurappa took a softer line. He said he had asked the DC and SP "not to take any action against the protestors", blamed "a misconception among the Banjaras" and offered talks South First.
At this moment, I am not ready to say that someone was behind the protest.
B S Yediyurappa, Bengaluru, 27 March 2023 (Scroll)
The issue in the May 2023 election
Congress leaders said they would undo the BJP's reservation changes. On 6 April Bommai dared Siddaramaiah to state his position and warned that touching internal reservation would cause "a revolution in the state" Deccan Herald. The Congress promised internal reservation for SCs in its own manifesto South First.
The Congress won 135 seats on 13 May 2023 Scroll. The BJP's reserved-seat tally fell from 21 in 2018 to 11, and it won none of the 15 ST seats. Analyst Chandan Gowda told Deccan Herald that Banjaras, Bhovis and Lambanis unhappy with internal reservation "backed Congress in a big way" Deccan Herald. Defeated minister B C Patil said the policy "did not go well with few communities, mainly Banjaras" South First. These are opinions; other factors were also cited. In Shikaripura itself, Vijayendra won his first election by 11,008 votes Deccan Herald.
What happened next, 2024 to 2026
Supreme Court ruling. On 1 August 2024 a seven-judge bench ruled 6:1 in State of Punjab v Davinder Singh that states can sub-classify SCs to give separate quotas to the more backward, based on empirical data. Review petitions were dismissed in October 2024 LiveLaw.
Nagamohan Das Commission. The Siddaramaiah government set up a one-man commission under retired judge H N Nagamohan Das. PTI dates it to November 2024; ETV Bharat to January 2025. A survey from 5 May to 6 July 2025 covered about 1.07 crore SC people, and the 1,766-page report was submitted on 4 August 2025 ETV Bharat. It reportedly proposed five groups: 1% most backward, 6% SC (Left), 5% SC (Right), 4% touchables and 1% for Adi Karnataka, Adi Dravida and Adi Andhra PTI via Business Standard.
The 6-6-5 decision. On 19 August 2025 the cabinet cut this to three groups: 6% for SC (Left), 6% for SC (Right), and 5% for Lambani, Bhovi, Korma, Korcha and 59 most backward nomadic castes together PTI via Business Standard. Nomadic groups protested at being clubbed with the touchable castes Deccan Herald. On 10 September 2025 sections of the Banjara, Bhovi, Korma and Korcha communities protested at Freedom Park with BJP state president Vijayendra, urging rejection of the report Deccan Herald.
Courts and the law. On 16 October 2025 the High Court told the government not to finalise recruitments under the 6-6-5 formula, and on 2 December it barred fresh recruitment under the 56% total quota Deccan Herald. The Assembly passed the Karnataka Scheduled Castes (Sub-Classification) Bill, 2025 on 18 December Deccan Herald. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot first returned it, citing objections from Banjara, Bhovi, Korcha and Korma associations Deccan Herald, then gave assent in February 2026 ETV Bharat.
The 2026 split. On 24 April 2026 the cabinet returned to a 15% SC quota and divided it 5.25% for SC (Left), 5.25% for SC (Right) and 4.5% for Bhovi, Lambani, Koracha, Korma and 59 Alemari castes, with one in five Group C posts for the Alemari groups. Siddaramaiah called it a "historic decision" and said recruitment to 56,432 posts would begin The News Minute ETV Bharat.
Outcome
- Deaths: None reported.
- Injuries: Four police personnel, per police and Deccan Herald; early reports said one.
- Arrests: Three men, including a Congress leader, remanded by 28 March 2023.
- Prohibitory orders: Imposed in Shikaripura town on 27 March 2023.
- Damage: Windows of Yediyurappa's house broken; flex boards and BJP flags pulled down.
- Policy: The Bommai split was sent to the Centre and never implemented; the Congress government adopted its own split in 2025 and revised it in 2026.
What is still pending
The High Court case on the 17% SC and 7% ST quota is unresolved; the government says the extra share will be held as a backlog until the verdict The News Minute. In August 2026 the High Court issued notice on a petition by Khem Singh of the Judo Banjara Foundation challenging the August 2025 classification, and said no final appointment orders could be issued meanwhile UNI. The outcome of the case over the 27 March 2023 violence was not reported in the sources reviewed.
Questions people ask
Why did Banjaras throw stones at Yediyurappa's house?
They were protesting the Bommai cabinet's 24 March 2023 decision to split the SC quota, which they said cut their share. When police caned them near the house in Shikaripura on 27 March, protesters threw stones and slippers, damaging windows. Yediyurappa was not at home.
What was the Bommai government's internal reservation formula?
Within a 17% SC quota: 6% for SC (Left), 5.5% for SC (Right), 4.5% for touchable groups such as Banjara, Bhovi, Korcha and Korama, and 1% for others. It was recommended to the Union government and never implemented.
How many people were arrested over the Shikaripura violence?
Three men, including local Congress leader Raghavendra Naik, were arrested and remanded in judicial custody by 28 March 2023, according to Deccan Herald.
What is Karnataka's internal reservation for SCs now?
Since 24 April 2026: 5.25% for SC (Left), 5.25% for SC (Right) and 4.5% for Bhovi, Lambani, Koracha, Korma and 59 nomadic castes, within 15%. Challenges are pending in the High Court.
Sources
- Deccan Herald: BJP's internal reservation plan hits a roadblock, 27 Feb 2023
- South First: Karnataka Cabinet decides to do away with 4% reservation for Muslims, 25 Mar 2023
- Deccan Herald: Cabinet bites the bullet on internal reservation for SCs, Mar 2023
- Deccan Herald: Banjaras hurl stones at B S Yediyurappa's Shikaripur residence; Section 144 imposed, 27 Mar 2023
- Deccan Herald: Quota: Protesting Banjaras stone BSY's house, injure 4 cops, 27 Mar 2023
- South First: SC internal reservation: BJP faces Banjara community wrath; stones pelted at Yediyurappa's home, 27 Mar 2023
- Scroll: Protests against change in SC quota rule turn violent outside BS Yediyurappa's home, 27 Mar 2023
- Deccan Herald: BJP hopes for momentum after quota decisions in Karnataka, 27 Mar 2023
- The Wire: Protests in Karnataka over new reservation policy ahead of state polls, 28 Mar 2023
- Deccan Herald: Cong leader among 3 held in protest held by Banjara community, 28 Mar 2023
- South First: Congress claims attack on BS Yediyurappa's house a conspiracy by BJP, Mar 2023
- Deccan Herald: Bommai dares Congress to clarify stand on internal reservation, 6 Apr 2023
- Scroll: Karnataka decoded: 45 charts, May 2023
- Deccan Herald: BJP fails to bag even one ST reserve seat, 14 May 2023
- South First: After stunning loss, BJP yet to call meeting of Legislature Party, May 2023
- Deccan Herald: Karnataka polls 2023: what happened in key constituencies, 13 May 2023
- LiveLaw: Supreme Court refuses to review judgment allowing sub-classification of Scheduled Castes, 4 Oct 2024
- ETV Bharat: Nagamohan Das Commission submits final report to CM, 4 Aug 2025
- PTI via Business Standard: Karnataka Cabinet decides to provide internal reservation among SCs, 20 Aug 2025
- Deccan Herald: Nomadic SCs oppose govt's internal quota decision, 22 Aug 2025
- Deccan Herald: BJP supports stir by factions of 'touchable' Dalits, 11 Sept 2025
- Deccan Herald: Karnataka's reservation storm, 7 Dec 2025
- Deccan Herald: Assembly passes Bill ratifying govt's 6-6-5 formula, 18 Dec 2025
- Deccan Herald: Governor asks about Parliament nod for SC reservation hike, 18 Jan 2026
- ETV Bharat: Karnataka Governor gives assent to SC internal reservation Bill, 27 Feb 2026
- The News Minute: Karnataka approves internal reservation within 15% SC quota, 26 Apr 2026
- ETV Bharat: Karnataka Cabinet tweaks internal reservation, 24 Apr 2026
- South First: Karnataka finalises internal reservation formula for SCs, 24 Apr 2026
- UNI: HC issues notice to Karnataka govt on plea against SC internal reservation decision, Aug 2026