Karnataka HC Strikes Down Law to Hike Quota for SC/ST, Citing 50% Cap

Gist The Karnataka High Court has struck down Sections 3 and 4 of a 2022 state law that increased the Scheduled Caste SC and Scheduled Tribe ST quotas in education and employment. This decision rolls back the state's total reservation from 56% to within the Supreme Court-mandated 50% limit. For aspirants, this judgment reinforces the strict sanctity of the 50% reservation ceiling established in the Indra Sawhney case and highlights the mandatory constitutional requirement to consult statutory commissions before enacting affirmative action policies. Background The Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Reservation of seats in educational institutions and of appointments or posts in the services under the state Act, 2022 was enacted retrospectively from November 1, 2022 . It increased the reservation for SCs from 15% to 17% and for STs from 3% to 7% , pushing the state's total quota to 56% . Prior to this, India's reservation architecture was strictly governed by the landmark Indra Sawhney vs Union of India 1992 judgment, where a nine-judge Supreme Court bench capped reservations at 50% under Articles 15 4 and 16…