Sanjay Kumar Jha Welcomes Supreme Court’s Decision on SC/ST Subcategorisation
Patna (Bihar), August 10: Sanjay Kumar Jha, the working president of Janata Dal-United (JDU) and Rajya Sabha MP, has praised the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the subcategorisation of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). He highlighted that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had already implemented subcategorisation in Bihar back in 2007.
Subcategorisation in Bihar
In 2007, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar established the Bihar State Mahadalit Commission to support specific groups within the SC community. Initially, some SCs like Chamars and Paswans were excluded, but the category was expanded in 2015.
Supreme Court’s Ruling
The Supreme Court ruled on August 1 that states have the authority to sub-classify SCs and STs. The court also stated that states could identify the ‘creamy layer’ within these groups to exclude them from reservation benefits. This ruling was delivered by a seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud.
Union Minister’s Statement
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw responded to the ruling by stating that the Constitution, as drafted by BR Ambedkar, does not provide for a ‘creamy layer’ in SC/ST reservations. He emphasized that the NDA government is committed to following the Constitution.
Manish Sisodia’s Bail
Jha also commented on the bail granted to AAP leader Manish Sisodia, noting that the matter is still sub judice. Sisodia, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, was released on bail after 17 months in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case.
Doubts Revealed
Sanjay Kumar Jha -: Sanjay Kumar Jha is a politician and the working president of the Janata Dal (United) party, often abbreviated as JDU.
Supreme Court -: The Supreme Court is the highest court in India. It makes important decisions about laws and rights.
SC/ST -: SC stands for Scheduled Castes and ST stands for Scheduled Tribes. These are groups of people in India who have historically faced discrimination and are given special help by the government.
Subcategorisation -: Subcategorisation means dividing a larger group into smaller groups. In this context, it means dividing SCs and STs into smaller categories to ensure fair distribution of benefits.
Bihar CM Nitish Kumar -: Nitish Kumar is the Chief Minister of Bihar, a state in India. He has been in this position for several years and has implemented various policies.
Creamy layer -: The ‘creamy layer’ refers to the wealthier and more educated members of a disadvantaged group who may not need special help from the government.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw -: Ashwini Vaishnaw is a minister in the Indian government. He is responsible for certain departments and makes important decisions.
Constitution -: The Constitution is the highest set of laws in India. It outlines the rights of people and how the government should work.
Reservations -: Reservations are a system in India where a certain number of jobs or school seats are set aside for people from disadvantaged groups like SCs and STs.
AAP leader Manish Sisodia -: Manish Sisodia is a leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a political party in India. He has been involved in various political activities.
Sub judice -: Sub judice means that a matter is still being considered by the court and no final decision has been made yet.
