Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu hailed the move as the fulfilment of the Telugu Desam Party’s long-standing promise, aligning with a Supreme Court judgment that permits sub-classification of SCs to ensure equitable distribution of benefits.
Published Mar 20, 2025 | 8:24 PM ⚊ Updated Mar 20, 2025 | 8:24 PM
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu (X)
Synopsis: The Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed a resolution on 20 March, advocating the inclusion of the Budaga Jangam caste in the Scheduled Castes (SC) list and the sub-categorisation of SC reservations. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu hailed it as a fulfilment of the Telugu Desam Party’s long-standing commitment, with district-wise sub-categorisation set to be implemented after the 2026 Census.
The Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Thursday, 20 March, passed a resolution proposing the inclusion of the Budaga Jangam caste among Scheduled Castes (SCs) and advocating for the sub-categorisation of SC reservations.
The resolution, based on recommendations from a state-appointed commission, will be sent to the Centre for appropriate action.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu hailed the move as the fulfilment of the Telugu Desam Party’s (TDP) long-standing promise, aligning with a Supreme Court judgment that permits sub-classification of SCs to ensure equitable distribution of benefits.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to implementing district-wise sub-categorisation based on the 2026 Census.
The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Naidu, had approved the recommendations of a one-member commission led by retired IAS officer Rajiv Ranjan Mishra on 17 March.
The commission was set up in November 2024 and conducted extensive consultations across 13 districts before submitting its report in March 2025.
Based on the findings, 59 SC sub-castes have been divided into three groups with reservation quotas:
Naidu explained that the previous classification, carried out in 1997, treated the state as a single unit based on the 2011 Census.
After the 2026 Census, the classification will be revised at the district level.
Naidu recalled that the push for SC sub-categorisation in the state began in his first term as Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh in 1995.
In response to the ‘Madiga Dandora’ movement led by activist Manda Krishna Madiga, the state government formed the Justice Ramachandra Rao Commission in 1996.
The commission’s recommendations led to the 1997 classification of SC reservations into four groups (A, B, C, and D), which provided over 22,000 jobs to the Madiga community and other sub-castes.
However, in 2004, the Supreme Court ruled that only Parliament had the authority to implement such classifications.
A breakthrough came on 1 August 2024, when the Supreme Court, in the State of Punjab vs. Davinder Singh case, ruled that states could sub-classify SCs to ensure reservations benefited the most disadvantaged groups. The ruling affirmed that sub-categorisation was constitutional under Article 14 of the Constitution.
During the Assembly debate, Naidu emphasised his party’s longstanding commitment to fighting caste-based discrimination. He highlighted several TDP-led initiatives, including:
Furthermore, the chief minister criticised the previous YSRCP government for neglecting SC welfare, alleging that no funds were allocated to SC communities during its tenure.
In contrast, asserted that the NDA government, despite financial constraints, allocated ₹804 crore for SC welfare, with ₹240 crore as government grants.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
