Supreme Court Empowers States to Sub-Classify Scheduled Castes and Tribes for Quotas

The Supreme Court, by a 6:1 majority, ruled that states can further sub-classify Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for better quota allocation. This overrules a 2004 judgment, allowing states to collect data on representation inadequacies and exclude the creamy layer from reservations.

The Supreme Court's landmark verdict on Thursday empowers states to make sub-classifications within Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for quota allocation, aiming to uplift the most underprivileged castes.

By a majority vote of 6:1, the court overruled a 2004 judgment in the EV Chinnaiah case, declaring that Article 14 permits such sub-classifications within a class that is not similarly situated.

Emphasizing historical and empirical evidence showing the social heterogeneity of Scheduled Castes, the court urged states to gather data on the inadequacy of representation and advocated for the exclusion of the creamy layer even within Scheduled Castes. A dissenting judge, however, cautioned against states varying the Presidential List and tampering with Article 341 to provide reservations.

(With inputs from agencies.)