Question

The Supreme Court has overruled its decision in E. V. Chinnaiah v. State of Andhra Pradesh (2004) relating to sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) for reservation purposes, in which case?

• A. Md. Gulzar v. State of Bihar (2025)
• B. Aligarh Muslim University v. Naresh Agarwal (2024)
• C. Krishna Kumar Singh v. State of Bihar (2017)
• D. State of Punjab v. Davinder Singh (2024)

Hint:

The Davinder Singh (2024) case is a landmark judgment that reversed the old E.V. Chinnaiah ruling and empowered states to make reservations more equitable through sub-classification.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understand the E.
V.
Chinnaiah judgment.
In the 2004 case of \textit{E.
V.
Chinnaiah v.
State of Andhra Pradesh}, a 5-judge bench of the Supreme Court had held that the list of Scheduled Castes is homogenous, and states do not have the power to "sub-classify" them to create quotas-within-quotas for reservation purposes.

Step 2: Identify the need for reconsideration.
Later, a different 5-judge bench expressed doubts about the correctness of the Chinnaiah decision, leading to the matter being referred to a larger 7-judge bench.

Step 3: Name the case that overruled the precedent.
In March 2024, the 7-judge bench delivered its verdict in the case of State of Punjab v.
Davinder Singh.
It unanimously overruled the 2004 Chinnaiah judgment, holding that states do have the power to sub-classify Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to ensure that the benefits of reservation reach the most marginalized communities within these groups.