Karnataka High Court Quashes SC/ST Quota Hike; Siddaramaiah Targets BJP

A political flashpoint has emerged following the Karnataka High Court's decision to strike down the enhanced reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The quashed legislation had increased Scheduled Caste reservation from 15% to 17% and Scheduled Tribe reservation from 3% to 7%, breaching the 50% ceiling. Congress leader Siddaramaiah stated that the verdict is a serious setback to historically marginalised communities and questioned the previous Bharatiya Janata Party administration for announcing the quota expansion ahead of the 2023 assembly elections without ensuring its constitutional sustainability. He highlighted recommendations from the Justice Nagamohan Das Committee regarding census data. The development triggers fresh debate over who bears responsibility as students and job aspirants face the fallout.