New Delhi: In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has mandated that the 'creamy layer' among Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) be excluded from reservation benefits. This decision aims to ensure that reservations reach those who are genuinely disadvantaged within these communities.

Currently, the 'creamy layer' concept applies exclusively to reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The Court’s judgment, delivered by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, Bela Trivedi, Manoj Misra, and Satish Chandra Sharma, allows for the sub-classification of SCs and STs. Justice Trivedi was the sole dissenting voice.

The ruling requires states to develop a policy to identify and exclude the creamy layer among SCs and STs. Justice Gavai emphasized that this step is crucial for achieving true equality as guaranteed by the Constitution. He argued that individuals from SC backgrounds who have benefited from reservations should not be compared to those who have not received such benefits.

Justice Vikram Nath supported this view, asserting that the creamy layer principle applicable to OBCs should also be extended to SCs. Justice Pankaj Mithal proposed that reservations should be limited to the first generation, with subsequent generations not being eligible if the first generation has already benefited from them.

Justice Satish Chandra Sharma concurred with Justice Gavai, asserting that identifying the creamy layer within SCs and STs should be a constitutional imperative.

The ruling builds on the 2018 decision in Jarnail Singh v. Lacchmi Narain Gupta, where the Court had observed that applying the creamy layer principle to SCs and STs does not alter the Presidential List under Articles 341 and 342 of the Constitution. Justice RF Nariman, in that case, noted that the purpose of reservations is to uplift backward classes to ensure they can compete equally with other citizens, which is undermined if the creamy layer within these classes monopolizes reservation benefits.

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Bengaluru: South Western Railway (SWR) is installing a network of 943 CCTV cameras having AI technology in 79 stations, entering into coordination with RailTel Corporation of India Limited.

According to a report by Deccan Herald, the CCTV cameras will be connected to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Command and Control Centre (CC Centre) in Hubballi to enhance passenger safety and also to keep vigil over the public movement in railway stations. The system helps the RPF staff in Hubballi to monitor the real time status of even smaller railway stations through the CCTV camera surveillance and alert local staff in case of any suspicious activities or safety concerns.

This is a major step of upgrade of security in the railway stations under the Hubballi Division of the SWR as only seven major stations in the Division were provided CCTV camera surveillance a few years ago. While the Hubballi Division has 123 stations, including halt stations, up to 79 stations will now be monitored through CCTV cameras.

Also, new buildings and better amenities have been provided to all important and small stations in Hubballi Division.

SWR officers have reportedly said that the camera installation work is completed, with more than half of the cameras already being connected to the CC Centre in Hubballi.

RPF Senior Divisional Security Commissioner Alok Kumar has said that smaller railway stations like Saunshi or Yalavigi too can be monitored through CCTV cameras at the CC Centre in Hubballi.

He explained that AI technology has enabled CCTV cameras that can recognize faces, count passengers, and also have colour scenes. In addition, they are equipped with video analytic facilities supporting greater efficiency in monitoring the movements of people and surveillance and security in these railway stations. The remaining railway stations will be connected with the CCTV cameras network in the next phase, he added.