Today, On 1st Aug, Revanth Reddy voiced strong support for the implementation of reservations for the Madiga and Mala sub-castes. He believes this measure is essential for addressing historical injustices and promoting social equity.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announced on Thursday that the Telangana government will implement the Supreme Court‘s decision on SC sub-classification by categorizing into ABCD groups.
Addressing the Assembly, Reddy confirmed that the state would take necessary actions to include reservations for Madiga and Mala sub-castes in current job notifications.
He stated,
“In light of the Supreme Court’s verdict on categorization, I remember that the previous government had suspended Sampath Kumar. On December 23, 2023, we sent Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka, Advocate General, and Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha to argue the categorization issue before the Supreme Court.”
The Chief Minister added,
“Our efforts have finally borne fruit. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Bench for its decision. Following this verdict, the Telangana government will categorize groups into A, B, C, and D. We will also implement reservations for Madiga and Mala sub-castes in current job notifications, and if necessary, we will issue an ordinance to ensure this,”
Earlier on Thursday, the Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling with a 6:1 majority, stating that sub-classification within the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservations is permissible.
This decision, made by a seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, overturned an earlier judgement by a five-judge bench in the EV Chinnaiah case, which had ruled against sub-classification on the grounds that SCs and STs are homogenous groups.
The bench included Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, Bela M Trivedi, Pankaj Mithal, Manoj Misra, and Satish Chandra Sharma. Justice Bela M Trivedi, in her dissenting opinion, expressed disagreement with the majority view.
The Seven-Judge Constitution Bench addressed key issues concerning the sub-classification of reserved communities such as SCs and STs. In his opinion, Chief Justice Chandrachud emphasized that the struggles faced by these communities do not vanish even at the lowest levels of representation, thereby justifying the need for sub-classification.
This ruling marks a significant shift in the interpretation of reservation policies, acknowledging the diverse challenges within these communities and aiming to ensure more equitable distribution of opportunities.