New Delhi | August 4: In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of India sanctioned the sub-classification within the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) categories to ensure that reservations benefit the most marginalized groups within these communities. This verdict was delivered by a seven-judge Constitution bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, with a 6:1 majority; Justice Bela Trivedi was the sole dissenter.
This judgment overturns the 2004 decision in the EV Chinnaiah vs State of Andhra Pradesh case, which had been decided by a five-judge bench. The judges supporting the current verdict included Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, Pankaj Mithal, Manoj Misra, and Satish Chandra Mishra, alongside the Chief Justice.
During the proceedings, the Centre endorsed the sub-classification, arguing it was essential to ensure that benefits intended for SC and ST communities reach those most in need due to varying degrees of marginalization within these groups. The judgment differentiated between “sub-classification” and “sub-categorisation,” with the former now permitted to better address disparities within the communities.
Chief Justice Chandrachud highlighted that such measures are crucial as empirical evidence indicates that SCs and STs are not homogeneous groups and face different levels of systemic discrimination. Justice Gavai, in his opinion, referenced a historical remark from Dr. BR Ambedkar on the necessity of social democracy to support political democracy, noting the significant variance in hardships and backwardness among the Scheduled Castes.
However, Justice Trivedi dissented, criticizing the referral by a three-judge bench to a larger bench, which she believed undermined the doctrine of precedents due to insufficient reasoning.
The ruling requires that any sub-classification must be supported by empirical data demonstrating inadequate representation among the sub-groups, ensuring that reservation policies are refined to promote genuine equality among India’s backward communities.
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