📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Pinakpani
Politics
Supreme Court directs Parliament to decide rotation of SC/ST reserved seats
✍️ India Today
🗓 04 Nov 2026, 07:01 PM
👁 17
The apex court ruled that the decision on rotating reserved constituencies for Scheduled Castes and Tribes lies with Parliament, not the judiciary.
The Supreme Court, in a recent judgment, held that the power to determine the rotation of constituencies reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) rests with the Parliament. The bench emphasized that the Constitution entrusts the legislature with the authority to frame and amend the schedule of reserved seats, and the judiciary cannot intervene in that policy‑making domain.
The court observed that while it can review the legality of any specific provision, the broader question of how and when the rotation should occur is a legislative matter. It cautioned against judicial overreach and reiterated the principle of separation of powers between the courts and the elected representatives.
Following the ruling, the government is expected to introduce a bill or amendment clarifying the rotation mechanism for SC and ST seats. Stakeholders, including political parties and community groups, will now look to Parliament to address the issue, which has long been a subject of debate in electoral reforms.
The court observed that while it can review the legality of any specific provision, the broader question of how and when the rotation should occur is a legislative matter. It cautioned against judicial overreach and reiterated the principle of separation of powers between the courts and the elected representatives.
Following the ruling, the government is expected to introduce a bill or amendment clarifying the rotation mechanism for SC and ST seats. Stakeholders, including political parties and community groups, will now look to Parliament to address the issue, which has long been a subject of debate in electoral reforms.