Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to initiate a constitutional amendment to include the state's 2022 law increasing reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, news agency Press Trust of India reported.The law raised reservation for SCs from 15 per cent to 17 per cent and for STs from 3 per cent to 7 per cent. Parameshwara has also written separately to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Virendra Kumar, seeking their intervention.In his November 12 letter to the Prime Minister, Parameshwara said, “The principles of social justice and cooperative federalism must command equal respect across the States of our Union.” He argued that Karnataka's request deserved the same constitutional consideration as Tamil Nadu's 69 per cent reservation framework.The Karnataka High Court, in its October 12, 2026 judgment, struck down the provisions that increased reservation for SCs and STs.

It held that the total reservation of 56 per cent exceeded the prevailing ceiling of 50 per cent. The court also examined the requirement to consult the National Commissions for SCs and STs.

The Karnataka government has challenged the judgment in the Supreme Court, Parameshwara said. He added that an enduring solution was needed through appropriate legislative and constitutional processes.According to PTI, Parameshwara said the enhanced reservation was based on the recommendations of a commission headed by retired Karnataka High Court judge H N Nagamohan Das.

The commission was formed to examine the representation of SCs and STs in education and public employment. He said reservation percentages for the two communities had remained unchanged for nearly seven decades since 1958, despite an increase in their population and continuing social and educational disadvantages.The 2011 Census recorded SCs and STs as accounting for about 17.15 per cent and 6.95 per cent, respectively, of Karnataka's population.

The Nagamohan Das Commission recommended increasing their quotas to 17 per cent and 7 per cent and placing the legislation in the Ninth Schedule for constitutional protection.The Karnataka Legislature enacted the law, which received the Governor's assent on January 11, 2023. It came into effect retrospectively from November 1, 2022.Citing Tamil Nadu's case, Parameshwara said Parliament had included the state's law providing 69 per cent reservation in the Ninth Schedule through the Constitution (76th Amendment) Act, 1994.“If Parliament could act to protect a reservation framework of 69 per cent in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka's considered request for 56 per cent reservation, founded upon the recommendations of a judicial commission, deserves no less constitutional attention,” he wrote.Parameshwara said Karnataka had submitted its proposal to the Centre on March 23, 2023.

The state Legislative Assembly subsequently passed a resolution on December 18, 2025, while former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to the Prime Minister on April 16, 2026, reiterating the demand.The Union government informed the Lok Sabha on July 25, 2026, that it had received Karnataka's proposal but did not consider its inclusion in the Ninth Schedule appropriate at that stage because the matter was pending before the High Court, Parameshwara said.He urged the Centre to begin the process of introducing an appropriate constitutional amendment Bill in Parliament, facilitate consultations with the National Commissions for SCs and STs under Articles 338(9) and 338A(9), and address the constitutional and procedural issues identified by the High Court.Parameshwara also sought coordinated and time-bound action by the ministries of Law and Justice, Social Justice and Empowerment, Tribal Affairs and Home Affairs.Beyond Karnataka's case, he called for wider national consultations on the continuing relevance and application of the 50 per cent reservation ceiling, taking into account changing social conditions, the experiences of different states and the constitutional principles of equality and affirmative action.“This is a matter that must rise above political affiliations and differences between Governments. The cause of social justice belongs to the entire nation,” he said.Parameshwara urged the Prime Minister to treat the issue as one of national constitutional importance and ensure a positive, time-bound decision on Karnataka's longstanding proposal.

He said the matter concerned education and employment opportunities for lakhs of SC and ST citizens in the state.- Ends(With PTI inputs)