Case Comment: State Of Punjab & Ors. Vs Devinder Singh
- IJLLR Journal
- Jul 13
- 2 min read
Lavanya Sharma, Rama University, Kanpur
● Case Name: State of Punjab and Others vs. Devinder Singh and Others
● Citation: 2024 SCC OnLine SC 1860
● Court: Supreme Court of India (Constitution Bench)
● Date of Judgment: 1 August 2024
Introduction
The case of State of Punjab & Others vs Devinder Singh & Others (2024) stands as a constitutional milestone in India's ongoing struggle to ensure equitable distribution of reservation benefits among historically marginalized communities. Decided by a 7-judge bench of the Supreme Court, this judgment revisited and ultimately overruled the earlier precedent set in E.V. Chinnaiah (2004), which had barred States from creating sub-classifications within the Scheduled Castes (SCs) for the purposes of affirmative action. The core issue before the Court was whether States, under Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution, could sub-divide the SC quota based on empirical evidence of unequal access to reservation benefits among various SC sub-groups—without violating Article 341, which vests the power of identifying SCs solely with the President and Parliament.
The case drew national attention due to its implications for social justice, constitutional federalism, and the interpretation of equality. With the reservation system often criticized for benefiting only the relatively advanced castes within the SC category, the judgment reignited debate on whether formal equality is sufficient in addressing deep-rooted social disparities. The Supreme Court's decision marked a significant shift towards a more nuanced, data-driven approach to affirmative action, placing the focus not merely on representation but on meaningful upliftment of the most disadvantaged among the disadvantaged.
This introduction sets the stage for a deeper examination of the legal issues, arguments, reasoning, and implications surrounding the landmark 2024 verdict.
