Central Government tells Supreme Court creamy layer does not apply to SC/ST reservation

The Union government filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court opposing the introduction of a creamy layer concept for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The government stated that the existing legal framework limits the application of the creamy layer principle to Other Backward Classes and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes. It argued that the challenges faced by SC and ST communities are rooted in historical and social factors that transcend economic status, making income-based exclusion inappropriate for these groups.

The government further maintained that the petitions seeking to restrict reservation benefits for affluent SC and ST families should be dismissed. It emphasized that any changes to the classification of these groups fall under the exclusive jurisdiction of Parliament. This position comes in response to legal challenges that sought to ensure reservation benefits reach the most economically disadvantaged members within these communities.