Article 341 Intends To Only Give 'Constitutional Identity' To Scheduled Castes; Not To Hold Them As 'Homogenous Class' : Supreme Court

The Supreme Court in its recent decision allowing sub-classification of Scheduled Castes, observed that Article 341 does not create a 'deeming fiction' and only bestows a 'constitutional identity' upon those backward communities which are listed as Scheduled Castes. Article 341 Does Not Create A Deeming Fiction ; Provision Only Establishes A Clear Process For Legal Recognitition Of Scheduled Castes The Court clarified that the previous decision of a 3 judge bench in Punit Rai v. Dinesh Chaudhary where it was suggested that Article 341 created a deeming fiction was erroneous and did not form the core reasoning of that judgment. 'Deeming Fiction' Underlining Article 341 Is Only For Identification Of Scheduled Castes; Its Purpose Is Not To Conclude That SCs Are A Homogenous Class The court emphasized that Article 341 creates a 'deeming fiction' solely for identifying Scheduled Castes. "Article 341 creates a legal fiction for the limited purpose of identification of Scheduled Castes by distinguishing them from other groups. In the NM Thomas case, the Court had observed that Scheduled Castes, once notified by the President under Article 341, form a class.