Overview
- A Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court dismissed the public interest litigation on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, rejecting a bid to strike down the council of ministers sworn in on June 3.
- The court said the petition rested on an erroneous reading of Article 164(1A), noting the proviso sets a numeric minimum of twelve ministers rather than a 12 percent floor tied to assembly strength.
- The bench branded the plea a 'publicity stunt' and an unjustifiable use of judicial time, refused the petitioner’s request to withdraw the case, and ordered a ₹50,000 payment to the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority within two weeks.
- Karnataka’s current council of ministers therefore remains intact with 14 members, including Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara, and faces no immediate judicial barrier to functioning.
- The ruling underscores how courts may impose costs to deter frivolous PILs and signals that future challenges to cabinet size will hinge on the plain text of Article 164(1A) rather than percentage-based arguments.