Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to protect the state's reservation law for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).
He wants the law placed in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. This special list gives certain laws extra protection.
The 2022 state law raised the SC quota from 15 per cent to 17 per cent. It raised the ST quota from 3 per cent to 7 per cent.
The total reservation in the state then came to 56 per cent.
Key points
- Karnataka wants its 2022 SC and ST quota law placed in the Ninth Schedule.
- The High Court struck it down on October 12, 2026, saying the total 56 per cent crossed the 50 per cent limit.
- The SC quota rose from 15 to 17 per cent, and the ST quota from 3 to 7 per cent.
- The state has challenged the ruling in the Supreme Court.
Why did the High Court strike down the law?
On October 12, 2026, the Karnataka High Court struck down the provisions that raised SC and ST quotas.
The court said the total of 56 per cent was above the 50 per cent limit that currently applies.
That 50 per cent limit is a ceiling on total reservation in a state.
The court also looked at whether the National Commissions for SCs and STs should have been consulted.
Why does Karnataka say the increase is needed?
Parameshwara said the higher quota was based on a commission's recommendations.
The commission was headed by retired Karnataka High Court judge H N Nagamohan Das.
It studied the representation of SCs and STs in education and government jobs.
He said the percentages had stayed the same since 1958, for nearly seven decades.
The 2011 Census showed SCs made up about 17.15 per cent of the state's population. STs made up about 6.95 per cent.
Parameshwara also pointed to Tamil Nadu.
Parliament placed that state's 69 per cent reservation law in the Ninth Schedule in 1994.
He said Karnataka's request deserved similar respect.
What happens next for the reservation law?
The Karnataka government has challenged the High Court judgment in the Supreme Court.
Parameshwara said a lasting answer needs proper legislative and constitutional steps.
The state's law received the Governor's assent on January 11, 2023. It came into effect from November 1, 2022.
- November 1, 2022The 2022 state law raising SC and ST quotas came into effect.
- January 11, 2023The state's reservation law received the Governor's assent.
- October 12, 2026The Karnataka High Court struck down the provisions raising SC and ST quotas.
Graphic: News Anek, from the facts in this report
The Supreme Court case and the response to his letters are the next steps to watch.
Explainer
What happened before
- Karnataka's 2022 law raised reservation for SCs from 15 to 17 per cent and for STs from 3 to 7 per cent.
- On October 12, 2026, the Karnataka High Court struck down these increases. It said the total of 56 per cent crossed the 50 per cent ceiling.
- Parliament placed Tamil Nadu's 69 per cent reservation law in the Ninth Schedule through a 1994 constitutional amendment.
Why it matters
The ruling affects reservation in education and government jobs for SC and ST people in Karnataka.
What to watch next
- The Karnataka government has challenged the High Court judgment in the Supreme Court.
- Parameshwara has asked for a lasting solution through legislative and constitutional processes.
