New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India, in a landmark judgment, reaffirmed its decision to allow sub-classification within the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservation categories. This ruling came as the apex court dismissed review petitions challenging its earlier decision delivered on August 1, 2024.
The Constitutional Bench, by a majority of 6-1, had ruled in favor of permitting state governments to carve out sub-quotas within the existing SC-ST reservation framework. The court stated that states could, if they deemed necessary, allocate sub-quotas to specific castes within these broader categories. This decision sought to address the unequal distribution of benefits among various sub-castes in these reserved categories.
The August 1 ruling sparked a mixed reaction, with a section of Dalit and tribal communities opposing the move, terming it anti-reservation, while others welcomed it as a necessary step to ensure equitable distribution of resources and opportunities. Opponents of the ruling argued that it could lead to fragmentation within these communities, potentially weakening the collective benefits of reservation.
The petitions against the decision were filed by several organizations, including the Save Constitution Trust, Ambedkar Global Mission, and the All India SC-ST Railway Employees Association. These petitions sought a review of the court’s ruling, emphasizing that such sub-quotas might dilute the essence of reservation and create divisions within historically marginalized groups.
While delivering its judgment, the Supreme Court acknowledged the complex socio-economic structure of SC and ST communities. The bench emphasized that these groups are not homogeneous and, in some cases, specific sub-castes within these categories may require additional support through separate sub-quotas to ensure fair representation and upliftment.
The court further argued that the reservation system must evolve with changing times and that states should be empowered to make nuanced decisions about how best to allocate benefits within the framework of the Constitution.
The review petitions were heard by the court on September 24, and after careful consideration, the verdict was reserved until today. In dismissing the petitions, the Supreme Court reiterated that sub-classification of the SC-ST quota is constitutional, provided that states can justify its necessity based on empirical data.
