New Delhi: Congress top leaders will convene today to strategize and formulate their stance on the Supreme Court's recent decision to exclude the creamy layer of SC/ST communities from reservation benefits. The meeting will take place at 6:30 pm at the residence of Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge.
The high-profile meeting will be attended by Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, MPs KC Venugopal and Jairam Ramesh, along with other senior party leaders.
On August 1, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling affirming that states have the authority to sub-classify Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). The court stated that while determining if a class is adequately represented, the focus should be on effective representation rather than mere numbers. The decision, made by a majority of 6:1, permits sub-classification within SCs and STs. The ruling overturned a previous judgement in the EV Chinnaiah case, which had deemed such sub-classification impermissible.
The seven-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, delivered the judgement. The other judges on the bench included Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, Bela M. Trivedi, Pankaj Mithal, Manoj Misra, and Satish Chandra Sharma. Justice Gavai proposed that states should develop policies to identify and exclude the creamy layer within SCs and STs from affirmative action benefits. Conversely, Justice Trivedi expressed dissent, opposing the majority view on sub-classification.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan voiced his disagreement with the ruling, announcing that his party, the Lok Jandhakti Party (Ram Vilas), will seek a review of the decision. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha also expressed his respect for the court's decision but criticized the sub-categorization as unjust and lacking empathy.
India to Lower Rates by 100 Basis Points by March 2026: BoA Official
Indian Embassy Warns Visitors in the UK to Stay Vigilant: Here’s Why
President Murmu Makes History in Fiji, New Zealand, and Timor-Leste
