The Karnataka government will review the High Court’s decision striking down enhanced reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said on Tuesday. The state Cabinet will discuss the verdict and consider possible legal options, including approaching the Supreme Court.
Parameshwara said the government would consult the Advocate General and the Law Department before deciding its next course of action. The administration will also examine how the ruling could affect educational admissions and government appointments made under the revised reservation structure.
The Karnataka High Court on Monday struck down provisions of a 2022 state law that increased SC reservation from 15% to 17% and ST reservation from 3% to 7%. The changes took the overall reservation percentage to 56%, exceeding the 50% ceiling generally associated with the Supreme Court’s 1992 Indra Sawhney judgment.
Government Weighs Legal Options
Parameshwara noted that the previous BJP government, led by Basavaraj Bommai, had introduced the enhanced quotas. The present government subsequently followed the revised reservation structure in several recruitment processes and defended it when challenged in court.
He argued that reservation serves the broader purpose of social justice and equal opportunity for communities that have experienced historical discrimination and exclusion.
Sharing his personal view, Parameshwara said Karnataka’s social circumstances could have been considered while examining the enhanced quota. He cited Tamil Nadu’s 69% reservation framework, which operates under a separate constitutional arrangement, as an example of a state-specific approach.
However, the Karnataka government must determine whether there are legal grounds to challenge the High Court’s ruling. Any further decision will depend on the Cabinet’s deliberations and subsequent legal proceedings.
Impact on Admissions and Government Jobs
The government will also assess the implications for educational admissions and public appointments already made under the 56% reservation structure.
Questions concerning existing appointments, the possible retrospective application of the judgment and future recruitment require detailed legal examination, Parameshwara said.
He also indicated that if the overall reservation percentage had to be reduced, internal reservation allocations might require proportionate revision, potentially affecting opportunities available to different communities.
Responding to BJP leaders’ allegations of negligence, Parameshwara maintained that the executive could not influence judicial decisions. He said approaching a higher court remained one of the legal options available to the state.
The Cabinet’s review is expected to determine the government’s next steps on the reservation issue, including whether to pursue an appeal and how to address the administrative consequences of the verdict.
For official updates, visit the Karnataka government website.
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