Supreme Court upholds Karnataka law for SC/ST reservation in promotions

The court noted merit in the submission of Karnataka that progression in a cadre based on promotion cannot be treated as the acquisition of creamy layer status

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the Karnataka law granting a quota in promotions for state government employees from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities.

A bench of Justice U U Lalit and Justice D Y Chandrachud said: "Following the decision in B.K. Pavitra, the state government duly carried out the exercise of collating and analysing data on the compelling factors adverted to by the Constitution Bench.

"The Reservation Act 2018 has cured the deficiency which was noticed by B.K. Pavitra in respect of the Reservation Act 2002. The Reservation Act 2018 does not amount to a usurpation of judicial power