Bengaluru, October 13: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has described the Karnataka High Court’s decision striking down the state’s enhanced reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) as a major setback to the aspirations of historically marginalised communities.
In a press statement, Siddaramaiah said that while the judiciary must be respected, the verdict raises fundamental questions about the BJP government’s approach to social justice.
He pointed out that ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, the BJP government increased reservation for SCs from 15 per cent to 17 per cent and for STs from 3 per cent to 7 per cent, despite being aware that the total reservation would exceed the Supreme Court’s 50 per cent ceiling.
Questioning the BJP’s intent, Siddaramaiah asked why the enhanced reservation was announced without first ensuring its constitutional sustainability, and whether electoral gains had been prioritised over long-term social justice.
He noted that the Justice Nagamohan Das Committee, constituted during the previous Congress government, had laid the foundation for enhancing reservation. The demand, he said, was the outcome of decades of struggle by marginalised communities and not the political generosity of any party.
Siddaramaiah further stated that the BJP-led Union Government had deferred Karnataka’s proposal seeking inclusion of the enhanced reservation law in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, citing the pending litigation. Following the High Court verdict, he said, the Centre must now clarify the constitutional solution it intends to pursue.
Reaffirming his commitment to AHINDA, minorities, backward classes and Dalits, Siddaramaiah said political democracy remains incomplete without social and economic equality.
He emphasised that reservation is not charity but a constitutional instrument designed to correct historical injustice and ensure equitable representation.
The former Chief Minister urged the Union Government to review the 50 per cent reservation ceiling, facilitate a constitutionally sustainable framework for population-based reservation, and reconsider Karnataka’s proposal for inclusion in the Ninth Schedule.
He also called upon the Karnataka Government to pursue all appropriate legal remedies to safeguard the enhanced reservation policy and protect the interests of students and job aspirants affected by the High Court’s ruling.
Concluding his statement, Siddaramaiah said the struggle for social justice cannot be reduced to election-time promises and requires sustained political commitment, constitutional responsibility and lasting institutional reforms. “Our objective is not merely to promise representation, but to secure it for future generations,” he said.
