Karnataka High Court permits government to take a decision on Panchamasali Lingayat reservation
The Hindu
The High Court of Karnataka allowed the State government to take a decision on reservation for Panchamasali Lingayat sub-sect without disturbing the constitutionally guaranteed quota in the existing Category 2A of the caste-based reservation list
The High Court of Karnataka allowed the State government to take a decision on reservation for Panchamasali Lingayat sub-sect without disturbing the constitutionally guaranteed quota in the existing Category 2A of the caste-based reservation list.
However, the court made it clear that any decision to be taken by the government on Panchamasali Lingayat sub-sect reservation would be subject to final adjudication of the pending petition.
A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Prasanna B. Varale and Justice Ashok S. Kinagi, passed the order while modifying its earlier interim order passed in the PIL petition filed by Raghavendra D.G. of Bengaluru.
In its January 12 interim order, the bench had directed the State government to maintain status quo on the interim report of the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes (KSCBC) with regard to the demand for inclusion of Panchamasali Lingayat sub-sect in Category 2A. The interim report of the KSCBC was submitted in court on February 3 in a sealed cover.
The bench modified the January 12 interim order after Solicitor General of India (SGI) Tushar Mehta, on March 23, gave an undertaking to the court that any decision to be taken by the government on Panchamasali Lingayat sub-sect will not have any impact on the reservation quota for castes in Category 2A.
Pointing out that one of the main apprehensions expressed in the petition was that inclusion of Panchamasali Lingayat sub-sect in the existing Category 2A list would impact members of the existing castes in Category 2A, Mr. Mehta clarified to the bench that the decision to be taken by the government on Panchamasali Lingayat sub-sect would not, in any, impact the reservation for the existing castes in Category 2A.
Mr. Mehta told the court that his statement could be taken as an undertaking on behalf of the Karnataka government, and the undertaking, in the written form, would be submitted to the court in addition to the statement of objection filed by the government on the petition.