In a landmark decision by a seven-judge bench, the Supreme Court of India ruled that both the central and state governments can sub-categorize Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to create separate quotas for the more marginalized segments within these communities. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, delivered a 6:1 verdict overturning a 2004 decision that had previously denied state governments the authority to establish such sub-categories for reservation purposes. Justice Bela Trivedi expressed her dissenting opinion on the ruling.
Chief Justice Chandrachud emphasized that implementing a quota within a quota for SCs and STs does not compromise quality. He highlighted that members of these communities often face systemic discrimination that impedes their upward mobility. The Court stated, “The sub-classification does not violate the principle of equality enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution.” However, the ruling requires that any subclassification must be supported by quantifiable and demonstrable data provided by the states. Chief Justice Chandrachud stressed the importance of states basing their decisions on objective criteria rather than political considerations, noting that these decisions are subject to judicial review.
