- विज्ञापन -
Hyderabad: A one-member Judicial Commission, led by retired High Court judge Justice Shameem Akhtar, has proposed the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) in Telangana into three categories to ensure fair implementation of a 15 percent reservation policy.
As outlined in a report presented by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy during a special Assembly session on Tuesday, 59 SC communities have been divided into three groups. Group I includes 15 SC communities identified as the most socially, economically, and educationally disadvantaged, making up 3.288 percent of the SC population. The Commission has suggested a one percent reservation for them.
Group II consists of 18 SC communities that have seen moderate benefits from reservations, representing 62.74 percent of the total SC population, with a recommendation for nine percent reservation.
Group III includes 26 SC communities that have largely benefited from existing reservations, accounting for 33.963 percent of the SC population, for which a five percent reservation is recommended.
The Madiga community, led by Manda Krishna Madiga, a prominent advocate for the sub-classification movement, falls into Group II, making up 61.967 percent of the SC population. The Malas community is categorized in Group III, along with Mala Ayawaru, together comprising 29.265 percent of the SC population.
The Chief Minister noted that the push for SC sub-classification has been ongoing for three decades. He emphasized the government’s commitment to finding a lasting solution in line with a Supreme Court ruling. He expressed pride in the Congress party’s efforts to provide opportunities for Dalits and described the day as significant in his political journey.
Revanth Reddy recalled being expelled from the Assembly for advocating SC sub-classification, stating that as the leader of the House, he was now able to implement this decision. He attributed this progress to the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Ambedkar.
The Judicial Commission submitted its findings to the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Monday, which approved the report before it was presented in the Assembly. This Sub-Committee was formed on September 12, 2024, with Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy as chair and Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha as co-chair, to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s directive on SC sub-classification.
Following the Cabinet Sub-Committee’s recommendations, the state government established the one-member Judicial Commission in October to evaluate the intra-backwardness among various SC castes and to study the Supreme Court’s ruling on the issue. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy welcomed the Supreme Court’s August 1 decision, declaring Telangana the first state to implement it.
