Panchamasali reservation: K'taka HC stays high-level committee's work

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has issued an interim stay on the high-level committee, which was tasked to suggest whether the Panchamasali sub-sect of Lingayats was eligible for inclusion in the 2A Category of reservations.

The state government on March 10, 2021, tasked the three-member committee headed by retired High Court judge, Justice Subhash B Adi to suggest whether Panchamasalis, currently in 3B Category could be moved to 2A Category.

The Karnataka State Backward Castes’ Federation moved the court challenging the terms of reference given to the committee.

The Federation claimed that the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes is the only authority that can decide the inclusion or exclusion of any caste from the list of Backward Classes. Therefore, the terms of reference given to the committee were not in the law.

The committee was formed by way of a government order. The Federation claimed that there was no such provision under the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes Act 1995.

A single judge bench has heard the petition earlier this year and referred it to a division bench as it had to answer a substantial question of law. A division bench of the court on Friday gave a stay on the proceedings of the committee and adjourned the hearing to August 24.