M.R. Balaji case
Also called: M.R. Balaji v. State of Mysore · Topic: Safeguards for Vulnerable Sections: SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities, Women and Children · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The M.R. Balaji case (M.R. Balaji v. State of Mysore, 1962) is a Supreme Court judgment on reservation under Article 15(4). The Court said reservation must be reasonable and should generally stay below 50%. Caste can be relevant in judging backwardness, but it cannot be the only test. The case laid the base of the 50% ceiling that Indra Sawhney later confirmed.
Example
In 1962 the Court struck down Mysore's 68% quota for being too large.
Don't confuse with
- Indra Sawhney case (1992): a nine-judge ruling that made the 50% ceiling firm law, upheld 27% OBC reservation and excluded the creamy layer. Balaji was the earlier, first statement of the 50% idea.
Related concepts
- Carry-forward rule
- 81st Constitutional Amendment Act 2000
- Indra Sawhney case
- Fifty per cent ceiling on reservations
- Tamil Nadu's 69% reservation
- Maratha reservation case
- 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act 2019
- Economically Weaker Sections reservation
- Janhit Abhiyan case