Telangana first Indian state to operationalise SC categorisation

Source: TOI

Context: The Telangana government notified the Telangana Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservations) Act, 2025 on April 14, becoming the first Indian state to operationalise SC categorisation post the Supreme Court’s landmark verdict (2024).

About the Supreme Court Judgment on SC Sub-Classification:

• V. Chinnaiah v State of Andhra Pradesh (2004) – Overruled by 7-judge Constitution Bench in 2024 (6:1 majority).

What the Judgment Clarified?

• Sub-classification Permitted:

• The SC held that sub-classification within Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) for equitable reservation is constitutionally valid.

• Articles Involved:

• Article 14: Allows reasonable classification among unequal groups to ensure substantive equality. Articles 15(4) & 16(4): Permit affirmative action based on social and educational backwardness and inadequate representation. Article 341: Lists castes as SCs via Presidential Notification, which cannot be altered by states.

• Article 14: Allows reasonable classification among unequal groups to ensure substantive equality.

• Articles 15(4) & 16(4): Permit affirmative action based on social and educational backwardness and inadequate representation.

• Article 341: Lists castes as SCs via Presidential Notification, which cannot be altered by states.

• States’ Power:

• States can sub-classify SCs for reservation without modifying the Presidential List. Sub-classification must be based on empirical data showing inter-se backwardness and under-representation.

• States can sub-classify SCs for reservation without modifying the Presidential List.

• Sub-classification must be based on empirical data showing inter-se backwardness and under-representation.

• Rejection of Homogeneity Argument:

• The Court held that SCs are not homogeneous; hence, sub-classification does not violate Article 341. The Presidential List merely identifies SCs—it does not prevent internal categorisation.

• The Court held that SCs are not homogeneous; hence, sub-classification does not violate Article 341.

• The Presidential List merely identifies SCs—it does not prevent internal categorisation.