Indra Sawhney v. Union of India
AIR 1993 SC 477 · 9-judge bench
Challenged the government's decision to implement the Mandal Commission's recommendation of 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in central government jobs.
The Court upheld OBC reservation but introduced the now-famous 50% ceiling on total reservations (later breached by specific later amendments in defined circumstances), excluded the economically advanced "creamy layer" among OBCs from reservation benefits, and held reservation shouldn't apply to promotions (a position later modified by subsequent constitutional amendments).
The foundational modern case on India's reservation system — the 50% ceiling and "creamy layer" concepts it created are still the reference points in every reservation debate since, including the more recent EWS (economically weaker sections) reservation controversy.
Related law
The provision enabling reservation in public employment that this case interpreted
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