How Bihar's 65% reservation hike was struck down -- the precedent facing Karnataka's appeal

Tue Oct 13 2026

Bihar tried a similar breach of the 50% ceiling and hit the same wall: the Patna High Court on 20 June 2024 struck down the two 2023 reservation amendment Acts -- which had raised SC reservation 16% to 20%, ST 1% to 2%, EBC 18% to 25% and OBC 15% to 18%, taking the total to 65% -- as ultra vires, bad in law and violative of the equality clause. On 29 July 2024 a Supreme Court bench of CJI D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra refused to stay the High Court order, granting leave and listing the appeal for final hearing. The same Indra Sawhney (1992) 50% ceiling now faces Karnataka's likely appeal. Reported by Indian Express and Financial Express. (Indian Express, Financialexpress)

Bihar tried a similar breach of the 50% ceiling and hit the same wall: the Patna High Court on 20 June 2024 struck down the two 2023 reservation amendment Acts -- which had raised SC reservation 16% to 20%, ST 1% to 2%,
On 29 July 2024 a Supreme Court bench of CJI D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra refused to stay the High Court order, granting leave and listing the appeal for final hearing.
The same Indra Sawhney (1992) 50% ceiling now faces Karnataka's likely appeal.