SC/ST voices decry Karnataka High Court verdict scrapping enhanced reservation

A group photo of Karnataka Rajya SC ST Alemari Budakattu Mahasabha members during a protest at Freedom Park in Bengaluru. | Photo credit: file photo

Various individuals and organizations representing the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes communities in the state have expressed deep disappointment over the Karnataka High Court’s verdict quashing the expanded reservation.

Basavaraj Kowthal, convener of the Forum for Justice for Scheduled Castes, criticized that it was unfair to sacrifice the share of SC/ST communities in reservation to maintain the 50% ceiling. “Due to political equations, OBCs were allotted 32%. It could be reduced to 27% and SC/ST share could be increased to 24%,” he suggested.

The Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and Appointments or Posts in Under-State Services) Act, 2022 was introduced by the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government in the state in 2023. However, the act was not added by the central government from the scheduled call in Nin. courts.

“The BJP was proud of its twin-engine sarkar and the Union government brought in a constitutional amendment giving 10% reservation to EWS. So why didn’t they do that? It shows how anti-Dalit they are,” criticized Mr. Kowthal.

He also criticized the Congress government, saying that while previous Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had written to the Union government requesting the inclusion of the bill in the Ninth Schedule, the government should have put more pressure on the Union government.

Terrible injustice

VS Ugrappa, a former Congress MP and leader, pointed out that the 2011 census put the SC population in Karnataka at around 17.1% and the ST population at 7%. “Both reports by Justice Nagmohan Das and Justice Subhash B. Adi indicated that SCs, STs and OBCs are under-represented in employment and education. None of these aspects were considered by the court,” he said.

“There are only two possible remedies for a permanent solution. First, the Act must be included in the Ninth Schedule, as happened in Tamil Nadu. Second, the Karnataka government must challenge the order by applying for special leave in the Supreme Court,” he said.

A joint effort

D. Chandraiah of the Karnataka State SC/ST Employees’ Association said that legal experts, senior advocates and the government are being consulted to ensure that a unified and strong legal challenge is filed in the Supreme Court against the HC verdict.

According to him, the association will assert itself as a party to the proceedings at the Supreme Court. The association will also present a joint memorandum on pending vacancies to the Cabinet sub-committee on Thursday.

“The 10% EWS did not violate the 50% ceiling, but the addition of 6% increment for SCs and STs was held to be a violation by the court. This is inconsistent,” he said.

Mr. Chandraiah criticized the government for failing to convince the Supreme Court with available empirical data regarding the backwardness of SC/ST communities across key sectors including education, health, land ownership, industry, commerce and so on. He added that the court also did not sufficiently consider whether the report’s findings represented “extraordinary circumstances” in which the reservation could exceed 50%.

Published – 14 Oct 2026 04:10 IST