Karnataka Cabinet to Review HC Verdict on Enhanced SC/ST Reservation
Karnataka will examine the High Court ruling that struck down enhanced SC/ST quotas, with the Cabinet considering a possible Supreme Court appeal and the impact on admissions and government appointments.
The Karnataka Cabinet will review the High Court verdict striking down enhanced reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) and consider the state’s legal options, Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said on Tuesday.
The government will consult the Advocate General and Law Department before deciding whether to challenge the ruling in the Supreme Court.
On Monday, the Karnataka High Court struck down provisions of a 2022 law that increased SC reservation from 15% to 17% and ST reservation from 3% to 7%. The changes took the state’s overall reservation quota to 56%, exceeding the 50% ceiling established by the Supreme Court’s 1992 Indra Sawhney judgment.
Parameshwara said the government had defended the enhanced quota in court and used the revised structure in recruitment processes. He argued that Karnataka’s social conditions warranted consideration, citing Tamil Nadu’s 69% reservation arrangement.
The government will also assess how the verdict affects educational admissions and government appointments made under the enhanced quota. Officials must examine the ruling’s implications for existing appointments, future recruitment and the possible revision of internal reservation percentages.
Parameshwara rejected allegations of government negligence, saying judicial decisions could not be influenced by the executive. He added that approaching a higher court remained among the available legal options.
