NEW DELHI: In a majority verdict on Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that states have the authority to sub-classify Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to allocate quotas within the reserved category, aiming to uplift more underprivileged groups.A seven-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud held a 6:1 majority that the further sub-classification of SCs and STs by states can be permitted to ensure the grant of quotas to more backward castes inside these groups. The bench delivered six separate judgements.The majority verdict said the basis of sub-classification has to be justified by “quantifiable and demonstrable data by the states, which cannot act on its whims.”The majority verdict overturned a 2004 judgement by a five-judge constitution bench in the EV Chinnaiah v. State of Andhra Pradesh case, which had ruled that sub-classification was not permissible as SC/STs were considered homogeneous classes.The apex court pronounced the judgment in connection with a case concerning the validity of the Punjab Scheduled Caste and Backward Classes (Reservation in Services) Act, 2006, which involved the sub-classification of reserved category communities.It ruled that SCs are not a homogeneous group and governments can sub-classify them to give more weightage in 15% reservation to those who suffered more discrimination among SCs.”The members of SC/ST are not often able to climb up the ladder due to the systemic discrimination faced. Article 14 permits sub-classification of caste. The court must check if a class is homogeneous or if a class not integrated for a purpose can be further classified,” a seven-judge Constitution bench of the top court, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, said in the verdict.The other six judges on the bench who delivered the verdict along with the CJI were Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, Bela M Trivedi, Pankaj Mithal, Manoj Misra, and Satish Chandra Sharma. The CJI wrote for himself and Justice Misra, while four judges wrote concurring judgements.Bela Trivedi was the lone dissenting judge in the case. She dissented from the majority and ruled that such sub-classification is not permissible.The apex court also upheld the validity of laws that provide for such sub-classification in Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and other states.
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