The Karnataka High Court rules that the state’s law increasing reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST), along with other backward classes, is unconstitutional. The court strikes down the quota enhancement that had raised total reservation to 56%, while upholding the constitutional validity of the 50% ceiling on overall reservations.
The outlets broadly agree on the legal basis for the decision: the court treats the 50% cap as a binding constitutional principle, citing equality considerations. Business Line and The Hindu describe the challenge as being brought through petitions questioning whether the Karnataka law could exceed the national limit. India Today similarly reports that the hike is quashed for violating the 50% reservation ceiling, framing the ruling as part of the court’s enforcement of limits on reservation percentages.
Overall, the coverage converges that Karnataka’s higher reservation arrangement is removed, but the court continues to recognize the framework requiring total reservation not to breach the 50% limit.
