New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea to include a community in the list of scheduled castes in all states in the country, and told the petitioner’s counsel, "You know what happened in Manipur".
The matter was heard by a bench comprising justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih. The bench quizzed the petitioner’s counsel, how is such a petition tenable?
"The issue is concluded by so many judgments of the Supreme Court. We can't even make an alteration. We can't add a comma," the bench said. Sensing that the bench is not keen to entertain the matter, the petitioner's counsel urged the court to allow him to withdraw the plea and then the petitioner will move before the high court.
At this juncture, the bench said, "The high court also does not have any jurisdiction. It is only the Parliament which can do it. It is so well-settled. Nothing can be changed".
Justice Gavai said, "You know what happened in Manipur..." After a brief hearing in the matter, the bench allowed the petitioner, Telangana State Are-Katika (Khatik) Sangh, to withdraw the plea, which was filed through advocate Sunil Prakash Sharma.
The plea contended that the Are-Katika (Khatik) community was listed in the scheduled castes category in several states including Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Gujarat. The plea stressed that in the remaining states, the community was listed in the other backward classes (OBC) category.
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