Bengaluru: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the inclusion of Karnataka’s enhanced SC/ST reservation law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, arguing that it needs lasting constitutional protection.
The law, based on the recommendations of the Justice H.N. Nagamohan Das Commission, increased reservation for Scheduled Castes from 15% to 17% and for Scheduled Tribes from 3% to 7% in education and public employment. The state legislature passed it in 2022, and it received the Governor’s assent in January 2023.
However, the Karnataka High Court struck down the enhanced quota provisions in its October 12, 2026, judgment, observing that the overall reservation of 56% exceeded the prevailing 50% ceiling. The court also examined the requirement for consultation with the National Commissions for SCs and STs.
In his letter, Shivakumar urged the Prime Minister to initiate the constitutional amendment process, facilitate consultations with the two national commissions and direct the ministries concerned to examine the issue within a fixed timeframe.
He said the state government respected the judiciary and was pursuing an appropriate appeal before the Supreme Court. Karnataka, he added, would continue to pursue constitutional and legal avenues to protect the rights and aspirations of SC and ST communities.