Karnataka High Court Voids SC-ST Quota Exceeding 50% Constitutional Ceiling

The High Court of Karnataka has invalidated a portion of reservations granted to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes that exceeded the 50% constitutional threshold, determining that such quotas contravene the fundamental right to equality enshrined in the Indian Constitution.

The bench found that while reservations remain constitutionally valid to remedy historical discrimination, any allocation surpassing the 50% ceiling established by prior Supreme Court judgments violates the equal protection principles that underpin the constitutional framework. The court emphasized that even the most compelling social objectives cannot override this foundational constitutional limit.

The ruling reflects an ongoing tension in Indian constitutional law between accommodating affirmative action mandates and maintaining equality safeguards. The 50% reservation cap, established through successive Supreme Court decisions, has emerged as a critical boundary in reservation disputes, though state governments have periodically attempted to extend quotas beyond this threshold through legislative action.

The decision is likely to prompt legal challenges and policy recalibrations in Karnataka and potentially influence similar quota frameworks across other Indian states. The judgment underscores judicial oversight of reservation policies, balancing the constitutional commitment to social justice with equality guarantees that protect all citizens.