Mandal Commission

Can you start by telling us something about the background and origin of this entire creamy layer doctrine? I understand it started...

right at the beginning with the Mandal Commission verdict, the nine judgements in the Indra Soni case.

So, what is exactly the genesis of this doctrine?

So, like we know that the government tried to implement the OBC reservation as recommended by the Mandal Commission in 1990.

And as soon as they did try to do that, challenges were mounted and then we have the Indra Soni verdict, which laid down the basic principles for why OBC reservation was valid and how it should be implemented, given that there was multiple things.

For instance, the judgment also was very careful in clarifying that it is significantly different in principle from, let's say, SCST reservations.