Supreme Court in the State of Punjab and Ors Vs Davinder Singh and Ors, 2024 ruled that States can sub-classify Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to provide additional quotas for more disadvantaged groups within these categories
- Earlier in EV Chinnaiah case (2005), Supreme Court held that all the castes in the Presidential Order under Article 341(1) formed one class of homogeneous group and the same could not be further subdivided.
- Under Article 341(1), the President of India can officially designate certain groups as Scheduled Castes in any State or Union territory
Other Key Highlights of Supreme Court Judgment
- State cannot earmark 100% reservation for a sub-class while allowing sub-classification
- The governments must conduct an empirical study before the sub-classification.
- The State's power to sub-classify is subject to judicial review.
- Sub-classification does not violate the principle of equality enshrined under Article 14 and President’s exclusive authority under Article 341 to identify SCs.
- Supreme Court expressed the need to exclude the 'creamy layer' among the Scheduled Castes from the reservation benefits meant for the SC categories.
- Currently, concept of 'creamy layer' is applicable only to the reservation for Other Backward Classes.