Karnataka High Court Quashes SC-ST Quota Hike Passed by Bommai Regime

The Karnataka High Court struck down provisions of the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Reservation Act 2022 that increased quotas for Scheduled Castes from 15 percent to 17 percent and Scheduled Tribes from 3 percent to 7 percent. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice KS Hemalekha ruled that Section 3 of the Act was unconstitutional as the enhancement breached the 50 percent aggregate reservation ceiling. The legislation, enacted under the previous Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government, raised total reservations to 56 percent and was challenged by social activist Mahendra from Raichur citing Supreme Court precedent.