Lok Janshakti Party to Appeal Supreme Court Verdict on Sub-classification within SC/ST Reservation
The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), a key ally of the NDA government, has announced its intention to appeal against the Supreme Court's verdict allowing sub-classification within the reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Party chief and Union Minister Chirag Paswan expressed disagreement with the court's observation that there is no educational basis for Scheduled Castes. He emphasized that the primary basis for their classification has been untouchability, which was not mentioned in the apex court's order.
Paswan argued that the concept of reservation within reservation cannot apply to Scheduled Castes, as the basis for their reservation is untouchability, which continues to exist even today. He cited examples of Dalit grooms being prevented from riding horses and educated Scheduled Caste individuals facing discrimination despite their socioeconomic status.
The LJP (Ram Vilas) contends that the Supreme Court's verdict lacks a crucial element – the recognition of untouchability as the foundation for Scheduled Caste classification. The party plans to file a plea for reconsideration, seeking a review of the judgement.
This development comes after the Supreme Court's landmark 6:1 verdict on August 1st, permitting the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to provide separate quotas for marginalized members within these communities. The court overturned a 2004 decision that restricted state governments from creating sub-categories for reservation purposes.
While the court clarified that sub-classification schemes must be backed by quantifiable data and objective criteria, the LJP (Ram Vilas) remains unconvinced and seeks a review of the judgement based on its concerns regarding the recognition of untouchability and its implications for reservation policies.