Parties term Supreme Court verdict on allowing states to sub-classify SCs as 'historic'

New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI) Political parties on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict allowing the states to make sub-classifications within the Scheduled Castes for granting quota to uplift socially and economically more backward castes inside the group, and termed it "historic".
     A seven-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud held by a 6:1 majority that the further sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) by the states can be permitted to ensure grant of quota to more backward castes inside these groups.
     In a majority verdict, the top court said the states are empowered to make sub-classifications of SCs and STs for granting quotas inside the reserved category to uplift the more underprivileged castes.
     Welcoming the verdict, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu noted that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had taken the first step in this direction by constituting the Justice Ramachandra Raju Commission in 1996 on SC sub-categorisation.
     "Justice should be done to all sections and social justice should win. This is the philosophy of the TDP. Sub-classification will be useful to reach out to the poorest sections," said Naidu during a public address in Srisailam.
     Welcoming the Supreme Court verdict, BJP leader and Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav termed the decision as historic. He noted that justice has been served to the downtrodden sections.
     YSRCP leader A Suresh said the Supreme Court judgment should be used for the upliftment of the SCs but not "opportunistic politics".
     "The YSRCP sincerely wishes that the judgment by the Supreme Court be used not for opportunistic politics but to strengthen the Scheduled Castes in a manner that ensures justice for all, adhering to the spirit of the verdict in thought, word, and deed," Suresh said at a press conference at the party office in Tadepalli.
     Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called the Supreme Court's ruling "historic", and said a major obstacle in the implementation of internal reservation has been removed thanks to the verdict.
     Posting on X, Siddaramaiah said, "I wholeheartedly welcome this judgment... With the Supreme Court's verdict, a major obstacle in the implementation of internal reservations has been removed.
     "We will consult with Scheduled Caste leaders and legal experts regarding the contentious aspects of the verdict, including the issue of the creamy layer, and take appropriate action," he added.
     Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said the Supreme Court's ruling is a recognition of the DMK's Dravidian model and its efforts to ensure social justice for oppressed sections of society.
     Hailing the apex court verdict, he said it was heartening that the bench upheld the internal reservation granted to the Arunthathiyar community, as laid down in an Act passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
     "Today's Supreme Court judgment is another recognition of our #DravidianModel journey to establish #SocialJustice for the social liberation of the oppressed people," Stalin said in a post on X.
     A formal committee was established and, based on the data collected through it, late chief minister and DMK stalwart M Karunanidhi had set apart three per cent internal reservation for the Arunthathiyar community, he said.
     "I introduced a bill (in this direction) in the state assembly and it was passed," the CM, who is also the president of the DMK, said in the post.
     "It is heartening that the seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court has upheld the Act," he further said, referring to today's ruling.
     Welcoming the Supreme Court judgment, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said it was the Telangana government that strongly argued in the apex court for the sub-classifications.
     "I sincerely thank the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court of India. Six out of seven judges said that state governments can take up the sub-classification. On behalf of the state government, I am making a statement that Telangana would be the first state to implement the sub-classification," the CM said.
     If necessary, the Telangana government will bring an ordinance to implement the sub-classification in the ongoing job notifications also, he added.
     BRS working president K T Rama Rao in a statement said his party welcomed the Supreme Court verdict. Right from the beginning, the BRS party worked sincerely for the sub-categorisation while other political parties indulged in vote bank politics on the issue, he said.
     "We demand that the state government implement the sub categorisation immediately. The party will extend support to the government," Rao said.
     According to him, the previous K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government passed a resolution after it came to power and personally submitted it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
     Reacting to the verdict, the CPI(M) said the Supreme Court has settled an issue of "longstanding contention".
     In a post on X, CPI(M) general Secretary Sitaram Yechury said, "Settling an issue of longstanding contention, a 7-judge Supreme Court bench held that sub-classification of the Scheduled Castes is permissible. The SC also permitted separate quotas for more backward SC categories," Yechury said.
     "Governments, both Union and states, as directed by the SC, must now take all measures to bring backward sections of the SCs into the fold of socially affirmative action," he said.
     The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) also issued a statement calling upon governments to work out appropriate steps.
     "A 7-Judge bench of the Supreme Court (by 6-1) held that sub classification of Scheduled Castes is permissible. The Supreme Court also permitted separate quotas for more backwards within the SC categories. The Supreme Court directed that the State has to justify the sub-classification on the basis of empirical data regarding the inadequacy of representation of the sub-class," it said.
     "The governments, as per the direction of the Supreme Court, must now take all necessary measures to ensure that the backward sections of the SCs are provided with facilities for improving their conditions," the party said.
     "The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) calls upon the governments to work out appropriate steps to ensure that the backward sections within the SCs are brought into the fold of affirmative action," it said.
     A key aide of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar claimed that the Supreme Court judgment vindicates the state government's old stand.
     State minister and JD(U) leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said the Bihar government has already created sub-categories like 'Mahadalits' and 'Ati-pichhda' (extremely backward classes).
     "These sub-quotas ensure that reservation benefits reach the most needy people. It is for the same reason that there is another category called 'creamy layer', which covers the relatively better-off people among SCs, STs and OBCs, who no longer require the facility. The Supreme Court's judgement vindicates the Bihar government's old stand," the state parliamentary affairs minister told PTI.
     From welcoming the decision as a step towards greater social justice to raising concerns about its implementation without conducting caste census, members of Parliament expressed varied reactions to the Supreme Court's verdict.
     Lok Sabha MP Chandrashekhar Azad expressed concerns about the implementation of the verdict.
     "If sub-classification starts, the SC should first work towards bringing democracy. When they (judges) support EWS and then become Rajya Sabha members or commission members, many questions arise.
     "What monitoring has been done on the atrocities committed against SCs and STs? SC/ST people are now aware, and discussions will happen. This cannot be done without caste census. I cannot say anything more without studying the verdict," Azad told PTI Videos.
     Echoing these sentiments on conducting caste census, Congress MP Pappu Yadav underscored the necessity of a caste-based census for effective implementation.
     "The SC has said the right thing but the question is who will implement it. The RSS? How much of the SC's verdict has been respected? The talk about a caste census to see who has what and who should get opportunities is very clear.
     "Once the caste census is done, it will become clear who received what and when. This verdict is absolutely correct, and the communities that have not received opportunities should come forward," Yadav said, highlighting the critical role of data in addressing historical injustices.
     Shambhavi Chaudhary of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) highlighted the fundamental basis of reservation.
     "The basis of reservation was untouchability. It was meant to uplift those castes that were left behind by giving them reservation. Therefore, the creamy and non-creamy layer cannot apply to SC/ST as the basis is untouchability and social representation," she said.
     BJP MP Brij Lal welcomed the verdict, asserting it addresses the economic disparities within the SC/ST communities.
     "I welcome the Supreme Court's decision because it ensures that those SC/ST families who have generations in government jobs and have become wealthy should not get reservation. Instead, poor labourers and farmers living in villages who are doing manual labour should receive reservation.
     "This is a social issue as well, because if someone is deprived of reservation today, their next generation might become poor again. Therefore, I welcome the SC's judgment," he stated.
     Lal also criticised the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP), accusing them of historically failing Dalit communities.
     Congress MP Sukhdev Bhagat emphasised the importance of representation in reservations, aligning with the apex court's interpretation.
     "The SC is the highest interpreter of the Constitution and reservation is about representation. These things should come to light," he remarked, supporting the verdict's alignment with constitutional principles.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)