Supreme Court Asks Petitioner to Go Back to High Court
The Supreme Court of India refused to interfere in the Karnataka cabinet rank controversy and asked the petitioner to file a review petition before the High Court instead.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said, “We dispose of this petition with the liberty to the petitioner to file a review petition before the high court.”
The case challenged the Karnataka government’s move to grant cabinet rank to 42 legislators appointed as heads of boards and corporations.
Court Questions Public Interest Claim
The court also referred to earlier observations made by the Karnataka High Court, which had questioned whether the petition was fully in public interest.
“The present petition is not entirely in public interest,” the earlier High Court order had said.
The petitioner argued that giving cabinet rank to so many MLAs and MLCs provided them with extra government benefits such as cars, allowances and official facilities.
What the Petition Claimed
The plea said these appointments could violate constitutional rules linked to “office of profit” and limits on the size of the council of ministers.
The petitioner also challenged the Karnataka government’s January 2025 order that increased the number of cabinet-rank legislators.
Matter Likely to Return to High Court
Since the Supreme Court did not hear the case directly, the matter is now expected to go back to the Karnataka High Court through a review petition.
