Karnataka High Court Overturns Increased SC/ST Reservation Quotas, Citing Legal Breaches

The Karnataka High Court delivered a significant verdict on Monday, nullifying portions of a 2022 law that sought to enhance reservation quotas for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in educational institutions and state government positions. The court’s ruling was based on the premise that the increased quotas exceeded the constitutional limit of 50% set for reservations in the state.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice KS Hemalekha deemed Sections 3 and 4 of the controversial Act unconstitutional. The law had proposed to raise reservations for SC communities from 15% to 17% and for ST communities from 3% to 7%. Along with a fixed 32% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBC), this adjustment would have pushed the total quota to 56%, breaching the established ceiling.

Initially receiving the governor’s approval in January 2023 during the tenure of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, the Act was made retroactive to November 1, 2022. The court’s judgment came in response to multiple petitions challenging the amended reservations framework, including one initiated by a group concerned about the implications of the increased quotas.

The bench determined that Section 3, which dealt with educational reservations, was in violation of Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law. Moreover, it stated that Section 4, regarding reservations in public employment, infringed upon both Article 14 and Article 16, the latter of which ensures equality of opportunity in state employment.

This ruling has reignited discussions about reservation policies in India, particularly the legal limits and ethical implications of such measures. The debate surrounding reservation quotas is a longstanding topic in Indian society, often stirring strong opinions among various communities. The Karnataka High Court’s decision emphasizes the delicate balance between providing support to historically marginalized groups and adhering to constitutional mandates aimed at maintaining equality.

Source: scroll.in