The Supreme Court Wednesday said its 2006 verdict putting benefits of quotas in job promotions for SC/ST employees need not be referred to seven-judge bench.
The apex court also turned down the Centre’s plea that overall population of SC/ST be considered for granting quota for them.
The unanimous judgement was pronounced by a five-judge Constitution bench.
The bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said states need not collect quantifiable data on backwardness of SC/ST for giving quota in job promotion to SC/ST employees.
The top court did not comment on two other conditions given in the 2006 verdict which dealt with
(i) adequacy of representation of SC/ST in promotion
(ii) Not to disturb administrative efficiency.
The court’s verdict came on petitions seeking that a seven-judge bench reconsiders the court’s 2006 judgement which had put conditions for granting quota benefits in job promotions for SC/ST employees.
The Centre and various state governments have also sought reconsideration of this verdict on various grounds, including that the members of the SC and ST communities are presumed to be backward and considering their stigma of caste, they should be given reservation even in job promotions.
The Centre has alleged that the verdict in the M Nagraj case had put unnecessary conditions in granting quota benefits to the SC and ST employees and sought its reconsideration by a larger bench.
