Supreme Court Case on Sub-Classification

Questions and Answers

What was the Supreme Court's ruling regarding the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Davinder Singh Vs the State of Punjab case?

Sub-classification is only allowed for educational institutions.

Sub-classification is permissible for reservations. (correct)

Sub-classification is not permissible.

Sub-classification can be applied only to Scheduled Castes.

Who was the Chief Justice of India leading the 7-judge bench in the Davinder Singh case?

Justice Vikram Nath

Justice BR Gavai

Justice Satish Chandra Sharma

Justice D.Y. Chandrachud (correct)

What provision does the constitution make regarding reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes?

15% reservation for Scheduled Castes and 7.5% for Scheduled Tribes. (correct)

State governments do not have the power to create subcategories.

15% reservation for Scheduled Tribes and 7.5% for Scheduled Castes.

No reservation is provided for Scheduled Castes.

What did the court call for regarding the identification of the creamy layer among Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes?

<p>They should be removed from the reservation matrix.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the ruling in the earlier case of E.V. Chinnaiah Vs State of Andhra Pradesh regarding sub-classification?

<p>It held that SC/STs constituted homogenous classes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Supreme Court Ruling Overview

On August 1, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Davinder Singh Vs the State of Punjab with a 6:1 majority.
The ruling permits the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) for reservations in government jobs and educational institutions.

Judgment Details

The 7-judge bench was led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.
The court overruled a previous 2004 verdict (E.V. Chinnaiah Vs State of Andhra Pradesh) which deemed sub-classification as impermissible because SC/STs were considered "homogenous" classes.
Four of the seven judges advocated for the identification of a "creamy layer" among SC/STs, suggesting their exclusion from the reservation category.

Bench Composition

Justices on the bench included BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, Bela M Trivedi, Pankaj Mithal, Manoj Misra, and Satish Chandra Sharma alongside CJI D.Y. Chandrachud.

Historical Context of Reservations

The Punjab Scheduled Caste and Backward Classes (Reservation in Services) Act, 2006, prioritized reservations for Balmiki and Mazhabi Sikh communities within the SC category.
The Constitution mandates 15% reservation for SCs and 7.5% for STs in government jobs and educational settings.

Constitutional Provisions

Articles 341 and 342 of the Constitution define the parameters for identifying SC and ST in relation to specific States and Union Territories.
Articles 15 and 16 empower State governments to establish subcategories within the SC/ST lists for further backward communities.

Description

Explore the significant ruling of the Supreme Court regarding sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for reservations in government jobs and education. This quiz covers the Davinder Singh Vs the State of Punjab case and its implications, including the overrule of the 2004 E.V. Chinnaiah verdict.