Chennai: Leaders of various political parties in Tamilnadu hailed the Supreme Court remarks that States has powers to give reservation to sub-castes.
In a statement here, Opposition DMK president M K Stalin said social justice of oppressive section has been upheld. He also thanked the five-member Bench of the Supreme Court for their remarks that States have power to provide three per cent sub-caste quota for Arunthathiyars.
“It’s a mega victory for the social justice policy of the DMK and for the steps taken by late leader M Karunanidhi’, he added. ‘I whole-heartedly welcome it”, he said.
PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss and VCK founder and Lok Sabha member Thol Thirumavalavan also welcomed the apex court observation that once the State has the power to give reservations, it could also extend it to the sub-castes.
In a statement here, Dr Ramadoss termed it a milestone in ensuring social justice. He said the observation validated the decision of the then Tamilnadu government, headed by Karunanidhi, to give three per cent quota to the Arunthathiyar community, within the SC reservation quota.
Noting that nowhere in India reservation was being implemented in a proper manner, he said since there were a number of sub-castes within the SC category, the apex court has paved way for social justice for other backward castes.
Thirumavalavan hailed it and said the case was now been referred to a larger bench. “The verdict does not impact the reservation given to the Arunthathiyar community in Tamilnadu,” he said and urged the Chief Justice of India to form the larger bench quickly.
The Supreme Court on Thursday held that its 2004 verdict holding that States do not have the power to further sub-classify the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, for grant of quotas in jobs and admissions to educational institutions, needs to be revisited.