The Supreme Court has today said that states need not collect quantifiable data on backwardness of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes for giving quota in job promotion to SC/ST employees.

Basically, the apex court has upheld a judgement it gave in 2006 in the famous M Nagraj case. The court opines that it's not mandatory go provide reservations in job promotions.

"The Centre had alleged that the verdict in the M Nagraj case had put unnecessary conditions in granting quota benefits to the SC and ST employees and sought its reconsideration by a larger bench," PTI says.

In the past, the government has argued that the SC and ST communities have been facing caste-based discrimination for long and the stigma of caste is attached to them despite the fact that some of them have come up.