Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has quashed the 25 percent horizontal domicile reservation introduced by the State Government in National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, through the NLSIU Amendment Act, 2020.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice B.V. Hosmani, held that only the Executive Council of the Law School can consider the issue of reservation and not the State Government.

The Court also observed that the Law School is autonomous and independent institution and does not come under the State Government.

The Bench struck down the reservation stating that it does not meet the twin tests under Article 14 of the Constitution. 

An aspirant student, an alumnus of the Law School and the Bar Council of India had challenged the amendment.

The State Government had introduced the quota through NLSIU Amendment Act, 2020, for students who studied in Karnataka for 10 years preceding the Common Law Admission Test.