Supreme Court To Examine Its 2004 Verdict On Sub-Classification Of Backward Classes

The high court had struck down Section 4(5) of the Punjab Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes (Reservation in Services) Act, 2006 which provided 50 per cent quota and the first preference to 'Valmikis' and 'Mazhabi Sikhs' castes in public jobs within the SC quota.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will examine the validity of its 2004 judgment holding that states do not have the power to further sub-classify the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes for grant of quotas.

A seven-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud made clear that it will not get into the arguments related to the quantifiable data which led the Punjab government to provide for a 50 per cent quota inside the quota.

The bench, also comprising justices B R Gavai, Vikram Nath, Bela M Trivedi, Pankaj Mithal, Manoj Misra and Satish Chandra Mishra, was hearing 23 petitions, including the lead one filed by the Punjab government challenging the 2010 verdict of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.