Karnataka's state government is set to decide whether to challenge the Karnataka High Court's order quashing the hike in reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara said on Tuesday, 13 October 2026 in Bengaluru. The Cabinet will meet to determine whether to appeal to the Supreme Court, he confirmed, adding that any decision must remain within the constitutional framework.

What the High Court Ruled

The Karnataka High Court on Monday quashed enhanced reservation quotas for SCs and STs in educational institutions and state government services. The enhanced quotas had originally been introduced by the then Basavaraj Bommai-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, raising the overall reservation ceiling in the state from 50 per cent to 56 per cent. The hike had raised SC quota from 15 per cent to 17 per cent and ST quota from 3 per cent to 7 per cent.

What the Government Said

'The Cabinet will take a decision. Whether we should appeal or not must be decided within the constitutional framework. The Cabinet will make that decision,' Parameshwara told reporters.

He noted that even after the current government assumed power, several recruitment processes had already proceeded under the enhanced quotas. The government had also made representations in support of the hike at the time. Parameshwara said the objective behind the increase was proportional representation of communities in line with the constitutional vision of social justice.

'Why did Babasaheb Ambedkar propose reservation? Why was it incorporated into the Constitution rather than being left to executive orders? It was to ensure justice for people who had been deprived of opportunities for thousands of years,' he said, underscoring the constitutional intent behind affirmative action provisions.

Tamil Nadu Precedent Cited

Parameshwara pointed to Tamil Nadu, which operates under a 69 per cent reservation framework enabled by a constitutional amendment, to argue that Karnataka's comparatively modest six-percentage-point increase could have been considered a special case. 'I personally feel that increasing reservation by just six percentage points in our state could also have been considered as a special case, based on the circumstances. That is my personal opinion, and I feel that the decision is not appropriate,' he said, making clear this reflected his individual view rather than an official government position.

Retrospective vs Prospective Impact

A key concern flagged by the Deputy Chief Minister is whether the court order will apply retrospectively or prospectively — a distinction that could affect students and job aspirants who were selected under the enhanced quota framework. 'We need to determine whether the order will apply retrospectively or prospectively. All these aspects must be discussed,' he said.

He also noted that the 17 per cent SC allocation had been sub-divided across categories, including allocations of 6 per cent, 5 per cent, and 2 per cent. Any revision to these internal allocations could be made proportionately, he added. The government will consult the Advocate General and the Law Department before finalising its legal approach.

Political Response and Next Steps

The BJP has criticised the state government over the court order. Parameshwara responded by saying the government must respect judicial decisions and cannot influence the judiciary, while retaining the option to challenge the order through appropriate legal channels. The Cabinet's decision on a potential Supreme Court appeal is expected in the coming days, with the government simultaneously examining the broader implications for ongoing and future recruitment processes.