Centre opposes plea in Supreme Court for income-based sub-quota within SC, ST and OBC reservations

The Union government on Thursday opposed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking directions for income-based prioritisation within reservations for the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes, Live Law reported.

The government maintained that the quotas are based on historical and social backwardness, not just on economic status.

Responding to the plea, the Centre stated that framing a policy on reservations in government jobs and educational institutes was within the executive’s domain, and not that of the courts.

The petitioners had sought directions from the court to the government to introduce sub-classification within the reservation matrix so that economically weaker persons in each quota category get priority.

The government said that the Constitution does not allow for changes to be made to reservations merely on economic criteria. Only Parliament can make changes to the quota lists based on historical, social and educational backwardness, Live Law quoted the government as having stated.

“These criteria are not spelt out in the Constitution but have become well established,” The Indian Express quoted the government as having stated.

It added that the creamy layer principle is not applicable in the context of reservations for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The creamy layer debate

There have long been calls to exclude the creamy layer from benefiting from reservations meant for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The creamy layer refers to the...

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