Karnataka to challenge reservation ruling and seek Ninth Schedule status

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the state will challenge the High Court’s decision to quash its enhanced Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe reservation law and write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the law’s inclusion in the Constitution’s Ninth Schedule. He said the state’s petition had been admitted by the Supreme Court.

The High Court ruling concerns a Karnataka law that raised reservations for Scheduled Castes from 15% to 17% and for Scheduled Tribes from 3% to 7%. The court quashed the law on October 12, according to Congress leader V.S. Ugrappa, who said the ruling followed a challenge to its constitutional validity. The Supreme Court’s subsequent decision, if any, was not reported.

Shivakumar said the Cabinet had decided to contest the ruling and assigned Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, ministers K.H. Muniyappa and Satish Jarkiholi to oversee the case and determine the state’s legal strategy. The state will also send a letter to Modi requesting Ninth Schedule inclusion, Shivakumar said, adding that he would discuss the matter with the prime minister if a meeting could be arranged.

Ugrappa separately wrote to Modi urging inclusion of...