New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled by a majority that sub-classification within the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) is permissible.
The Apex Court declared that SCs cannot be considered homogenous classes and that it would be permissible for the Centre and states to earmark most backward classes within the reserved category of SC/STs to enable them frame appropriate policies on sub-classification and rationalisation of reserved seats.
The ruling overruled the 2004 judgment by a five-judge bench, which held that sub-classification was not permissible because SC/STs form homogenous classes.
The majority judgment was delivered by CJI DY Chandrachud, and justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, Pankaj Mithal, Manoj Misra, and Satish Chandra Sharma. Justice Bela M Trivedi dissented. (with Agency inputs)
