Govt to SC: Only Parliament Can Extend Creamy Layer to SC/ST; Cites Article 341, E V Chinnaiah Case

SC Rules on OBC Creamy Layer Income Test: Salaries Excluded, Centre Seeks Clarification on Retrospective Impact

The Supreme Court in March 2026 ruled that while determining OBC creamy layer status, income from salaries and agriculture must be excluded from the income/wealth test. The Centre now seeks clarification, arguing retrospective implementation from 2012 is 'extremely difficult' and would cause a cascading effect on recruitments and admissions.

Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Cognisance of Delhi-NCR Sexual Assaults, Cites Article 21 and Nirbhaya Parallel

The Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognisance of recent sexual assault cases in Delhi-NCR, flagging lax patrolling and administrative failures that make public spaces 'zones of high risk'. The court invoked Article 21 (right to life and personal liberty) and drew a painful parallel to the 2012 Nirbhaya case, demanding accountability and a measurable response from authorities. This has major implications for law enforcement accountability, women's safety, and judicial oversight.

SC's March 11 Creamy Layer Judgment: Centre Seeks Clarification for 100 OBC CSE-2025 Candidates

Centre has approached SC seeking clarification on its March 11 judgment that ruled income cannot be the sole criterion for creamy layer among OBCs. The plea concerns 100 candidates selected in CSE since 2016 but rejected due to creamy layer criteria. The government warns retrospective application could disrupt CSE-2025 training and allocation.

Centre Seeks SC Exemption for CSE 2025, 2026 from OBC Creamy Layer Income Test Retroactivity

The Centre has urged the Supreme Court to keep CSE 2025 and 2026 out of the Rohith Nathan judgment's retrospective operation, allowing the older OBC creamy layer income test to continue. It warns that retrospective application would hit 3.7 lakh OBC recruitments since 2016 and trigger widespread litigation across Railways, Banks, Posts and paramilitary.

SC Special Bench to Decide OBC Creamy Layer Verdict's Applicability to CSE 2025

The Supreme Court will hear the Centre's plea seeking clarity on whether its March 2026 OBC creamy layer verdict applies to CSE 2025, which was largely concluded before the judgment. This tests the 'rules of the game' doctrine in service law and affects hundreds of OBC candidates' reservation status.

Bihar GAD Reasserts Parents' Salaries, Agricultural Income Exempt in OBC Creamy Layer Test

Bihar's GAD order of September 1, 2026 reiterates that parents' salaries and agricultural income cannot be included in the income test for determining OBC creamy layer status. This follows the Supreme Court's March 11 Rohith Nathan judgment, which flagged 'hostile discrimination' in how the income test was applied differently. The Centre has separately sought SC clarity, even arguing that salary income may be the 'sole intelligible differentia' between OBC candidates in some cases.

Centre Tells SC Creamy Layer Cannot Apply to SC/ST Quotas, Cites Historical Disadvantage

The Centre has opposed extending the creamy layer principle to SC/ST reservations, arguing that historical discrimination based on untouchability cannot be equated with economic backwardness. The affidavit also asserts that any change in reservation policy is Parliament's domain, not the courts. This is critical for understanding the distinction between SC/ST and OBC reservation criteria.

2026 Amendment Penalises Disruption of Vande Mataram Singing (Up to 3 Years Jail); Bijoe Emmanuel Case Protects Silent Dissent

The 2026 amendment to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act gives Vande Mataram the same criminal protection as the national anthem, but it does not compel singing. The Supreme Court's Bijoe Emmanuel ruling protects the right to remain silent if participation conflicts with conscience. This has implications for freedom of religion (Articles 25-26) and freedom of speech (Article 19(1)(a)).