Pune, Sep 23 (PTI) Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi chief Prakash Ambedkar on Monday said his outfit has filed a review petition challenging the Supreme Court verdict upholding the sub-classification of Schedule Castes.
In a majority verdict last month, the Supreme Court held that states are empowered to make sub-classifications of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for granting quotas inside the reserved category to uplift more underprivileged castes.
A seven-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud held that the further sub-classification of SCs and STs by states can be permitted to ensure the grant of quota to more backward castes inside these groups.
Talking to PTI, Ambedkar said, “We, along with Vidvat Sabha, have filed a review petition. We are challenging the verdict on the grounds that the court has not considered that there is a Constitutional provision to look into the status of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.” He questioned whether the apex court considered the SC/ST commission’s recommendations regarding the developed and undeveloped classes within the Scheduled Castes.
The VBA chief claimed the verdict was merely based on conjecture.
“The inclusion and exclusion and laying down principles is a jurisdiction of the Parliament, not the courts. So (need to see) whether you (apex court) have overstepped while giving the judgment,” said Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the chief architect of the Constitution.
He said the review petition highlights that the court has hit the nation’s foundation with its judgement.
“If you look at the preamble of the Constitution, it is ‘We the People’ who have decided that there will be reservations for a class of individuals who were never represented in the past. It is a contract between people, which needs to be examined by the Parliament, not courts,” he said.
A lawyer by profession, Ambedkar is a two-time Lok Sabha MP from Akola in Maharashtra and a one-time Rajya Sabha MP.
He alleged the apex court’s judgement aided and abetted people who believed India should not be a united country.
“If reservations are being treated as development, then there is a developed class and an undeveloped class. And if there is an undeveloped class in the country, what is the government doing to bring it on par with others?” he said.
Ambedkar said they are requesting the court to admit the petition, issue a notice, and allow a wider discussion. PTI SPK ARU
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