Supreme Court strikes down 10.5% reservation for Vanniyar community

The Supreme Court  struck down the 10.5% internal reservation granted by the Tamil Nadu government to the Vanniyar community in 2021, and upheld a Madras High Court order on Thursday.

The Vanniyar community was given internal reservation under the existing 20% reservation given to Most Backward Classes (MBCs) by the Tamil Nadu government.

 A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and BR Gavai observed that “caste can be the basis of internal reservation but it cannot be the sole basis.”

“We are of the opinion that there is no basis to treat Vanniyars as a separate group compared to others. Thus the 2021 Act is ultra vires to Articles 14, 16 of the Constitution,” the Supreme Court bench held.