Both houses, Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council of Telangana have approved the implementation of SC classification in the State. The one-member Commission heady by Justice Shamim Akhtar, which was appointed by the State government on SC classification after the Supreme Court verdict made four recommendations. Among them, the government rejected the creamy layer recommendation, which approved the proposals for classifying all 59 SC castes in the state into three groups, job recruitment system, and division of roster points.
Legislation on Sub-Categorisation Soon
Telangana will be a first state which is planning to introduce legislation on sub-categorisation of SCs soon. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy announced that the state government will issue Orders (GOs) and bring a legislation to sub-classify 59 SC sub-castes into A, B and C categories for implement the reservations based on the recommendations of the Justice Shameem Akther Commission.
59 Sub Castes Classified into Three Groups
59 SC castes were divided into three groups. Madiga sub castes will get 9% reservations, which are included in the Group-2. Mala castes will get 5%, they were included in the Group-3. Remaining 1% quota will be given to 15 most backward castes of SCs. The State Cabinet approved the relevant report and presented it in the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council on Tuesday. The report was approved in both the houses.
Categorisation of Reservations will benefit those who have been waiting for classification for almost three decades. Justice Shamim Akhtar Commission, based on social, economic, educational, employment and political representation, included the most backward castes of SCs in Group-1, the moderately advantaged castes in Group-2 and the better advantaged castes in Group-3.
Based on the 2011 population census, it included 18 sub castes including the Madiga caste, which constitutes 61.67% of the SC population, under Group-2 and proposed 9% reservation. It included 26 castes including the Mala and Mala Ayyyavar castes, which constitute 29.26%, in Group-3 and proposed 5% reservations, and 15 castes comprising 3.28% in Group-1 and proposed 1% reservation.
Commission Examined Several Representations
Justice Shamim Akhtar Commission on SC classification submitted a 199-page report. It included a detailed discussion on 59 castes. The Commission, which took charge on November 11, 2024, studied the issue and submitted its report to the government within 82 days. From December 4, 2024 to January 3 this year, it conducted a public inquiry in the erstwhile districts of the state and received complaints from the public and got their views.
It also visited the settlements in some districts. During the visits, it examined 4,750 complaints received directly from the public and 8,681 complaints received offline and online at the office of the Inquiry Commission in Hyderabad. In addition to these, the Commission prepared its report after studying data related to the population, literacy, employment, admissions to educational institutions, government job appointments, financial assistance and political representation of 59 castes among the SCs.
Four Recommendations
The Justice Shamim Akhtar Commission, after studying the Supreme Court verdict, made four recommendations to the government. The first recommendation was to classify the SC castes into three groups. The second was to carry forward the posts remaining vacant during the recruitment process to the next advertisement. The third was to finalize the roster points for the SC castes. The fourth was to introduce a creamy layer in SC reservations.
Govt Rejected the ‘Creamy Layer’ Norm
It proposed that MLAs, MPs, ZP chairmen, mayors and other public representatives, along with those in Group-1 service, be considered as creamy layer. It suggested that the state government take appropriate steps to exclude the second generation of these people from getting the benefit of reservations. The state government, which accepted the first three, rejected the proposal of creamy layer, which was the fourth recommendation.
Timeline of SC Sub-Quota Movement
· 1994: SC sub-categorisation movement starts in undivided Andhra Pradesh led by Madiga Reservations Porata Samithi (MRPS) President Manda Krishna Madiga.
· 1996: The TDP government appoints Justice Ramachandra Raju Commission to study the sub-categorisation issue.
· 1997: The Commission recommends sub-categorisation of SCs into four groups, with separate reservations for each group.
· 1999: The state government promulgates the AP SCs (Rationalisation of Reservations) Ordinance. This was later replaced by an Act in 2002.
· 2004: The High Court of Combined AP strikes down the Act, and the Supreme Court upholds the High Court's Judgement.
· 2004: UPA government at the Centre constitutes the Justice Usha Mehra panel to examine SC sub-categorisation issue.
· 2008: The Usha Mehra Commission submits its report to the Centre. It recommends amending Article 341 to allow sub-categorisation and de-sub-categorisation of SCs. The Centre does not implement the report, citing on-going litigation in the Apex Court.
· 2014: After the formation of Separate Telangana State, then TRS (presently BRS) government adopts a resolution in the Assembly favouring SC sub-categorisation and sends it to the Centre (NDA government led by BJP).
· 2023: During the Assembly elections in the Telangana, Congress and BJP promise SC sub-categorisation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also promises this on behalf of the BJP in the campaign rally in Telangana during 2023 Assembly polls.
· Aug 1, 2024: The Apex Court upholds the power of states to sub-classify reservations and caste of reserved category groups.
· Nov 4, 2024: Telangana state government established the single-member Judicial Commission headed by retired High Court judge Justice Shameem Akhtar to look into the sub-categorisation issue.
· Feb 4, 2025: Justice Shameem Akhtar Commission submitted its report to cabinet subcommittee. Telangana state Cabinet and then after, State Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council approved the panel's recommendations.
