BELAGAVI: Karnataka is seriously considering 70% reservation in education and employment, 1% more than neighbouring Tamil Nadu. The move, however, will need a Constitutional amendment by Parliament in view of the Supreme Court capping reservation at 50%.With an eye on 2018 assembly elections, Siddaramaiah, who can as well take credit of being the first CM to order a survey to study the social and economic backwardness of different castes, has proposed to move a resolution in the next legislature session.Replying to a calling attention notice by V S Ugrappa in the legislative council on Tuesda y, Siddaramaiah said the caste survey report is expected to be submitted to the state government either in December or January."If Karnataka has to increase the reservation, which is 50% now, someone has to move a resolution in the legislature. I will take this initiative and move the resolution which has to be then Constitutionally amended in Parliament as the apex court has put a cap of 50% on reservation," the chief minister said.Consequent to the 50% ceiling on reservation, Tamil Nadu's 69% reservation in education and employment had been put in the ninth schedule following a Constitutional amendment, Siddaramaiah added.The CM said that no caste survey had been carried out after 1931 because World War II broke out a decade later, which was followed by India's independence. He said that the idea to have a study on the economic and social backwardness of all castes struck him after the Supreme Court's ruling on Mandal Commission in 1992."I got an opportunity to make an announcement of a caste-based survey in my budget presentation for 2004-2005. But in July 2005, I was dismissed as deputy CM in the JD(S)-BJP coalition government and could execute it only after becoming the CM," Siddaramaiah said.The CM's reply witnessed exchanges between him and Opposition leader K S Eshwarappa on their parties' concern for the OBCs. The CM said the BJP had opposed the Mandal Commission report and former Union minister Arjun Singh's decision to provide reservation in higher education. Besides BJP MP in Rajya Sabha Justice M Rama Jois had filed a petition in the Supreme Court questioning the hike in reservation.When Eshwarappa tried to defend, the chief minister said: "Let BJP give one instance of any government circular it had issued favouring reservation, I will retire from politics. It's not adequate if only political reservation is given as social and economic quota is also important."