Supreme Court strikes down Karnataka's 2022 recruitment law as legislative overreach

In a significant assertion of judicial independence, India's Supreme Court has struck down a Karnataka recruitment law passed in 2022, holding that no legislature can use its legislative powers to undo judicial decisions or sit in appeal over court rulings.

The court's decision reinforces the constitutional principle of separation of powers, emphasizing that once a judicial determination has been made, the legislative branch cannot enact laws to negate or supersede that determination. The bench found that the Karnataka legislation in question violated this fundamental principle.

The ruling comes as a reminder of the constitutional boundaries that govern the relationship between the three pillars of democracy. While legislatures possess broad powers to enact laws within their sphere, such powers cannot be wielded to circumvent the finality of judicial decisions or undermine the authority of courts.

Karnataka's 2022 recruitment law had sought to alter recruitment processes through legislative action, but the Supreme Court determined that such intervention was constitutionally impermissible given prior judicial pronouncements on the matter. The decision is expected to have implications for how states approach recruitment and employment laws going forward.

The judgment underscores the court's commitment to upholding constitutional governance and preventing legislative attempts to alter the course of judicial proceedings through subsequent enactments.