The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), a key ally in the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has taken a stance against the recent Supreme Court decision allowing sub-classification within reservation quotas. Chirag Paswan, the party chief and Union Minister, criticized the observation made by the Supreme Court, emphasizing that the historical basis for the classification of Scheduled Castes was untouchability, which he claimed was not addressed in the court's ruling.
Paswan highlighted that the issue of untouchability remains prevalent even today, citing examples of discriminatory practices faced by Dalits, including restrictions on temple entry and unequal treatment of Dalit grooms. He argued that applying the concept of a creamy layer—typically used to exclude the affluent from the benefits of reservation—to Scheduled Castes was unjustified due to the historical context of untouchability. Paswan's announcement of the party's intent to file a plea for reconsideration in the Supreme Court signals a legal challenge to the recent verdict on sub-classification within reservations for SCs and STs.
The Supreme Court's 6:1 verdict on August 1 allowed for the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to ensure separate quotas for the more marginalized members within these communities. While Chief Justice DY Chandrachud led the Constitution bench in endorsing sub-classification, Justice Bela Trivedi dissented from the majority opinion. The court asserted that sub-categorization must be supported by quantifiable data provided by states, emphasizing that decisions must be based on objective criteria and subject to judicial review rather than political considerations.