Karnataka HC Reserves Judgment on Pleas Challenging 25% Domicile Reservation in NLSIU.

Bar Council of India (BCI) has filed a petition before Karnataka High Court challenging the Amendment of 2020 done by the NLSIU which provides 25% reservation to the candidates who have studied in Karnataka over ten years preceding Common Law Aptitude Test, 2020. 

BCI contented that this amendment is unconstitutional and is not in the ambit of the Karnataka State government as they are the body governing several National Law Universities (NLU) over the country and are an unconstitutional body. They further said that they are invested with the power to govern all these NLUs, and the main aim of NLU is defeated if the reservation is provided to the students of the home state, that provides the country with world-class output in the law filed.

BCI has also contended that this particular amendment is also violative of Supreme Court judgment providing 100% reservation to the people of the scheduled tribe and scheduled caste as it cut down their quota to 25% only.

Contentions form respondent is that BCI has powers to promote and lay standards for legal education with consultations to the recognized legal education system, and it is not establishing authority. Establishment of NLSIU is done by statute.

Respondents also said that no other university or state government is in favour of the idea of integrated 5year law and the respective state government has shown keen interest in the development of NLSIU.

Based on all these contentions by the BCI and respondents, Karnataka High Court has reserved its judgment on the issue of 25% reservation in the NLSIU to the students having studied in Karnataka.