SC strikes down reservation for Vanniyars in Tamil Nadu

The Supreme Court struck down the order that provided 10.5 per cent reservation for the Vanniyar community in Tamil Nadu.

The Supreme Court upheld the Madras High Court order, striking down the 10.5 per cent reservation provided to the Vanniyar community in government jobs and admission to educational institutions.

Issuing an order on Thursday, the Supreme Court said no reason was given to provide reservations for Vanniyars in particular, separate from the other 115 Most Backward Communities (MBC) identified in Tamil Nadu.

"No reason has been given to give classification to Vanniyars separate from other 115 communities within the MBC class," the Supreme Court said.

The Supreme Court said there is no bar on legislative competence of the state to enact the 2021 Act. "The Act was for sub-classification of communities within the existing classification," it said.

"What was barred was the identification of SEBCs. However, the identification of backward classes had been completed by the state prior to the 1994 Act," the Supreme Court said.

"States competence to enact legislation is not taken away as the Presidential list of SC/STs is still being finalised," it said.

The court said the legislative competence of state legislature can only be proscribed by specific provisions in the Constitution.