Supreme Court Advocates Sub-Classification of Scheduled Castes to Achieve Equality

The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, ruled that states have the constitutional authority to create sub-classifications within Scheduled Castes (SCs) to ensure substantive equality. The court emphasized that inter-se backwardness within SCs is a barrier to achieving this equality, and sub-classification is a means to overcome this issue.

The Supreme Court has ruled that states have the constitutional authority to make sub-classifications within Scheduled Castes (SCs) to ensure substantive equality. Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud stated that the internal backwardness within SCs hinders achieving substantive equality and that sub-classification is a key solution. The Court's 140-page majority judgment clarified that SCs are a socially heterogeneous group capable of sub-classification.

Justice Chandrachud elaborated that the objective of Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution is to provide substantive equality to socially and educationally backward classes, including SCs. These provisions allow states to make special arrangements to advance such classes. The judgment underlined that educational backwardness stems from social backwardness, hence emphasizing the need for subclassification.

Furthermore, the court noted that the Constitution does not specifically define Scheduled Castes but rather identifies them through notifications. This heterogeneity within SCs shows that they are not a homogeneous group, justifying the need for subclassifications to achieve better representation and equality, the judgment concluded.

(With inputs from agencies.)