Karnataka HC Allows Ongoing Recruitments to Proceed Despite Government Freeze on New Hiring- Details

The Karnataka government has issued an order halting all new recruitment under the Karnataka Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of Seats in Education Institutions and Appointments to Posts and Services under the State) Act, 2022, which had increased reservation percentages for SC and ST communities. However, the Karnataka High Court has permitted recruitment processes already notified before November 19, 2025, to continue — even if they apply the enhanced quota provisions.

The 2022 Act, whose constitutional validity has been challenged, raised reservation for Scheduled Castes from 15% to 17% and for Scheduled Tribes from 3% to 7%. With Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservations unchanged at 32%, total reservations in the state now stand at 56%, prompting petitioners to question its legality.

In an interim order issued on November 27, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha said the restriction on new recruitment under the Act would remain in place until further directions. The bench was hearing two public interest litigations filed by Mahendra Kumar Mitra (Raichur) and Mahesh (Bengaluru).

The court also directed that all appointments and promotions made under the revised quota structure must explicitly state that they are provisional and subject to the final outcome of the case. This ensures that if the increased reservations are later struck down, appointees cannot claim vested rights based on the interim implementation of the law.

Further clarifying the scope of its order, the bench stated that allowing already-announced recruitment processes to continue does not nullify or override any interim or final orders issued by other courts or tribunals in related matters.