Overview

• The Karnataka High Court declared the dual classification of the Balajiga/Banajiga community for reservations in education and employment as unconstitutional and discriminatory.
• Justice Suraj Govindaraj directed the Karnataka government to uniformly classify the community under Group 'B' for both education and jobs, ensuring consistent application of affirmative action policies.
• The court ruled that the state's previous classification, which placed the community in Group 'B' for education and Group 'D' for employment, violated constitutional protections under Articles 14, 15(4), and 16(4).
• V Sumitra, a primary school teacher whose employment eligibility was invalidated in 1996 due to this dual classification, successfully challenged the policy in court.
• The ruling reinstates Sumitra's eligibility under Group 'B' and mandates her continued employment as a teacher, setting a precedent for uniform reservation practices.