In Brief
The Supreme Court consolidated multiple Special Leave Petitions challenging reservations under Articles 16(4), 16(4A), and 16(4B) of the Constitution. A two-Judge Bench had previously referred the matter to a Constitution Bench, citing questions about whether the landmark M. Nagaraj decision requires reconsideration, particularly regarding the application of the backwardness test and creamy layer principle to SC/ST reservations. A three-Judge Bench declined to adjudicate the procedural propriety of that referral, instead directing that the matter proceed to a Constitution Bench for proper examination of whether the binding precedent requires reconsideration.
The lawyer headnote and full judgment text are available to registered users.