BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has directed the High-Level Committee for Examination, constituted by the state government to examine whether Panchamasali Lingayat sub-sect can be included in Category 2A, not to proceed until further orders. The sub-sect presently comes under Category 3B.
Three members of the High-Level Committee headed by Justice Subhash B Adi, former Upa Lokayukta and former judge of Karnataka High Court, was constituted by the state government on March 10, 2021. The government had issued an order dated July 1, 2021 specifying the terms of reference to be framed. Subsequently, the committee issued a notice dated September 29, 2021 to the petitioner.
The Karnataka State Backward Castes Federation moved the high court challenging the validity of the constitution of the committee, the order prescribing terms of reference and the notice. Hearing the petition, a Division Bench of Justices B Veerappa and KS Hemalekha recently issued directions to the committee not to proceed further. The Advocate General said that the report of the committee is only recommendatory and the final decision will be taken by the state government.