Karnataka High Court notice to State on plea challenging May 2026 notification on sub-classification of SC communities for reservation

The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday ordered issue of notice to the State government on another petition by the Confederation of Untouchable Nomadic Communities of Karnataka (CUNCK) and others challenging the government’s May 8, 2026 notification, which had revised the August 2025 notifications on sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SC) communities into three groups and distribution of percentage of reservation.

Justice Suraj Govindaraj ordered that the petition be tagged with other petitions, including the one by CUNCK, filed in September-October, 2025, challenging the first notification on August 25, 2025, introducing sub-classification of SC communities and distribution of percentage of reservation.

The government issued the May 8, 2026, notification as a Division Bench in a December 2025 interim order restrained the government from increasing the reservation for SCs to 17% from 15%, based on the 50% ceiling on total reservation based on the existing law, while staying the operation of Karnataka SCs and Scheduled Tribes (STs) (Reservation of Seats in Education Institutions and Appointments of Posts and Services under the State) Act, 2022, which increased reservation for SCs/STs.

The August 2025 notification distributed 17% reservation for SC communities by allocating 6% reservation each for different castes in Category A (16 castes) and B (19), and 5% for castes in Category C (63 castes).

However, in the May 2026 notification, the government brought back the total reservation for SC communities to 15% and revised it by allocating 5.25% to Category A and B, and 4.5% for Category C. Again, the government issued more notifications fixing roster of reservation for various castes within the three categories for making appointments to various posts.

As contended in their earlier petition against the August 25 notification, the petitioners have termed the sub-categorisation as “unscientific, irrational and without adequate determining principles”.

A central grievance raised in the petition is that nomadic and semi-nomadic communities have been grouped in Category C along with communities that are allegedly more advanced socially and educationally. The petition claims that communities such as Bhovis, Lambanis, Koramas, and Korachas have been clubbed with nomadic groups despite significant differences in levels of backwardness.

The court, acting on the petition challenging the August 25 notification, in September 2025 restrained the government from making appointments to the State Civil Services based on the August 25, 2025, notification. However, the court allowed the process of recruitment to various posts that was under way but said that appointments could be made based on such process.

Now, the court will hear all the petitions, challenging both the August 2025 and the May 2026 notifications.

Meanwhile, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K.S. Hemalekha adjourned till July 17 the petitions challenging the 2022 Act on a request by the State Advocate-General while making it clear that no further adjournment would be given as the Supreme Court recently ordered for expeditious disposal of these petitions.