Supreme Court of India's Stance on "Creamy Layer" for SC/ST

The Union government recently addressed the Supreme Court of India regarding petitions advocating for a "creamy layer" exclusion within the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) categories. This concept, similar to the criteria used for Other Backward Classes (OBC), aims to exclude more advanced individuals within these groups from reservation benefits. However, the government reaffirmed that such exclusions are not applicable to SC and ST classifications.

Background of the Petitions

• The petitions under consideration emerged after a pivotal Supreme Court judgment in August 2024, known as the Davinder Singh judgment.
• This judgment acknowledged the heterogeneity and graded backwardness within the SC and ST communities.
• A seven-judge Bench led by then Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud allowed State governments to sub-categorize SCs and STs.
• The objective was to ensure reservation benefits reached communities that were being overshadowed by relatively less backward groups within these lists.