Triple test

The state of Jharkhand has completed collecting data on the population of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from all its districts.

• Purpose: The data collection is aimed at determining OBC reservation quotas in urban local bodies.

• Legal Framework: This exercise is part of the “triple test” mandated by the Supreme Court of India to ensure that OBC quotas in local bodies are constitutionally valid and fairly determined.

Triple Test Guidelines (laid down in Vikas Kishanrao Gawali vs State of Maharashtra, March 4, 2021):

1. Establish a dedicated commission to conduct a rigorous empirical inquiry into the nature and extent of backwardness in local bodies.
2. Specify the proportion of reservation required in local bodies based on the commission’s recommendations, ensuring it is not overly broad.
3. Ensure that total reservation for SCs, STs, and OBCs combined does not exceed 50% of the total seats in local bodies.

Significance: Completion of this data collection marks the first step in implementing the triple test, which is necessary to constitutionally justify OBC reservations in urban governance structures.

(Source: IE)