The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
Supreme Court Permits the Sub-classification of Scheduled Castes
A 7-Judge bench of the Supreme Court (by 6-1) held that sub classification of Scheduled Castes is permissible. The Supreme Court also permitted separate quotas for more backwards within the SC categories. The Supreme Court directed that the State has to justify the sub-classification on the basis of empirical data regarding the inadequacy of representation of the sub-class.
The governments, as per the direction of the Supreme Court, must now take all necessary measures to ensure that the backward sections of the SCs are provided with facilities for improving their conditions.
The Polit Bureau of the CPI(M) calls upon the governments to work out appropriate steps to ensure that the backward sections within the SCs are brought into the fold of affirmative action.