Karnataka High Court invalidates SC/ST reservation boost exceeding 50% cap
A Karnataka High Court bench ruled that sections of the 2022 reservation act granting more than 50% seats to SCs and STs breach constitutional limits.
In a landmark judgment, the Karnataka High Court declared that the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments or Posts in the Services under the State) Act, 2022, violates constitutional guarantees by allocating reservation beyond the 50% ceiling. Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K S Hemalekha nullified Section 3, which raised the overall quota, and Section 4, which provided enhanced reservation for SCs and STs in state services, citing breaches of Articles 14, 15 and 16.
The court reaffirmed the Supreme Court's 1992 Indra Sawhney ruling that the ceiling cannot be exceeded. Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara described the ruling as having far-reaching implications for social justice and urged the prime minister and the Centre to reconsider the ceiling and the state's request for Ninth Schedule protection. The Karnataka government, which had enacted the law after receiving Governor Basavaraj Bommai's assent in January 2023, said it would assess all legal options, including an appeal to the Supreme Court, while safeguarding ongoing recruitment and admissions.
Why it matters
The ruling could reshape reservation policies for historically disadvantaged groups across India.
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