Bengaluru: In a setback to the state govt, Karnataka high court Monday struck down as “constitutionally impermissible” the law that raised overall reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to 56% against the 50% ceiling laid down by Supreme Court.
The court noted that the letters relied on by the state govt were dated Dec 10, 2025, and Jan 20, 2026 — nearly three years after the Act was enacted and after its validity had been challenged before the high court.
The bench rejected the argument that the findings of Justice H N Nagamohandas Commission justified exceeding the 50% reservation ceiling.
it did not justify breaching the overall ceiling, the court said While the commission’s conclusion that certain communities remained marginalised and had not adequately benefited from reservation could support a case for internal reservation. The court had clarified that appointments arising from recruitment processes already underway would remain subject to the final outcome of the cases. Appointment and promotion letters were required to expressly state this condition, and candidates could not claim any equitable rights if the enhanced reservation was ultimately struck down.