Karnataka to weigh legal appeal after High Court quashes SC and ST quota hike

The Karnataka government announced it is exploring legal remedies to challenge a High Court verdict that struck down provisions of the state law increasing quotas for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Senior state ministers indicated that options for filing an appeal before the Supreme Court are being actively evaluated to safeguard admissions and public employment recruitments.

The development follows a division bench ruling by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K.S. Hemalekha, which declared Sections 3 and 4 of 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, unconstitutional. The legislation had raised the quota for Scheduled Castes from 15% to 17% and for Scheduled Tribes from 3% to 7%, pushing aggregate reservations in the state to 56%.

Ruling on a batch of petitions including public interest litigation, the bench held that the 50% reservation ceiling established by the apex court in the landmark Indra Sawhney case is a binding constitutional principle. The court noted that breaching the ceiling violates Articles 14, 15, and 16 of the Constitution, rendering the legislative enhancement impermissible without statutory protection.

Reacting to the judgment, Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara stated that the administration would pursue all available legal avenues, including an appeal in the Supreme Court. He asserted that the ruling brought to light the administrative approach of the previous government in rushing through the legislation prior to the 2023 Assembly elections without securing prior clearance.

State leaders also turned their focus toward the Union government, urging the Centre to examine Karnataka's pending request for inclusion of the legislation under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. Officials noted that a parliamentary response in July 2026 confirmed the state's proposal had been deferred pending the outcome of the judicial proceedings.

Representatives of community organisations representing Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes expressed strong dismay over the verdict, voicing concerns regarding representation in educational institutions and government jobs. State authorities are expected to consult senior legal counsels in the coming days to finalise the petition to be filed before the apex court.