The Supreme Court delivered a landmark verdict today, approving the concept of quota within quota for Scheduled Castes (SCs). A 7-judge bench ruled 6:1 in favor of allowing sub-classification within SC categories, permitting states to create separate quotas for more backward groups within the SC category.
The court’s decision means that state governments can now establish sub-categories to better target benefits for the most disadvantaged within the SC groups. However, the ruling stipulates that no sub-category can be allocated 100 percent reservation, and states must provide empirical data to justify any sub-classification.
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, delivering the majority opinion, noted that the SCs are not a homogenous class and that sub-classification does not breach the equality principle under Article 14 of the Constitution or Article 341(2). He stated that Articles 15 and 16 do not prohibit states from sub-classifying castes.
Justice BR Gavai disagreed with the ruling, suggesting that certain SC/ST categories have faced prolonged oppression. He recommended that states develop policies to exclude the “creamy layer” within SC/ST from positive reservation benefits.
Justice Bela M. Trivedi dissented, arguing that states lack the authority to sub-classify castes without legislative or executive power. The CJI confirmed that the 2004 judgment in Chinnaiya, which had previously deemed sub-classification unacceptable, has been overturned.