BENGALURU: Chief minister D K Shivakumar has written to PM Narendra Modi, urging him to bring about a constitutional amendment to include Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act, 2022, in Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, thereby protecting its provision of reservations for SCs and STs in education and public employment.The law raised reservation for SCs from 15% to 17% and for STs from 3% to 7%, taking the overall quota to 56% in the state. It followed recommendations by a commission headed by retired Karnataka high court judge Justice H N Nagamohan Das.On Oct 12, 2026, HC struck down the enhanced reservation provisions, ruling that the aggregate quota exceeded the 50% ceiling. Clarifying govt’s position, Shivakumar said the issues flagged by HC called for a constitutional solution and shouldn’t result in abandon-ing SC-ST communities’ aspirations for educational and employment opportunities.Shivakumar said Karnataka’s proposal predated high court verdict, having been submitted to Union govt on March 23, 2023.CM: K’taka’s plea must get same attention as TN’s caseCiting Tamil Nadu’s 69% reservation framework, which was included in the Ninth Schedule through the Constitution (76th Amendment) Act, 1994, he wrote: “If Parliament could act to protect a reservation framework of 69% in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka’s request for 56% reservation, founded on the recommendations of a judicial commission, deserves no less constitutional attention.”The legislative assembly passed a resolution seeking Ninth Schedule protection on Dec 18, 2025, while former chief minister Siddaramaiah reiterated the demand in a letter to Modi on April 16, 2026.In a Lok Sabha reply on July 25, 2026, the Union govt acknowledged receiving the proposal, but said Ninth Schedule inclusion was not appropriate while the matter was pending before the court.Following the high court verdict, Shivakumar urged the Centre not to defer consideration on account of the ongoing appellate proceedings.He sought consultations with the National Commissions for SCs and STs and a time-bound examination by the ministries of law and justice, social justice and empowerment, tribal affairs, and home affairs.Karnataka, he said, was ready to provide empirical material and address the constitutional and procedural issues identified by the court.
