The Supreme Court of India's landmark 7-judge bench verdict revisited the constitutional boundaries of Article 14, 15, and 16, distinguishing sub-classification within scheduled categories from creamy-layer exclusion.
Core Conceptual Distinctions:
| Parameter | Sub-Classification | Creamy Layer Exclusion |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | Prioritizing most backward castes within a protected umbrella group to prevent cornering of benefits. | Excluding economically/socially advanced individuals from reservations to preserve benefits for genuinely disadvantaged. |
| Legal Basis | Substantive equality under Article 16(4) — treating unequals equally fosters inequality. | Doctrine of non-perpetuation of backwardness established in Indra Sawhney (1992). |