Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday chaired a meeting of party leaders to discuss the recent Supreme Court (SC) decision on the SC/ST reservation.

Kharge, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, held the meeting at his residence here in presence of Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders.

During the one-and-a-half-hour meeting, they deliberated on the recent decision of the apex court on SC/ST reservation and the proposed caste census.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Congress general secretary in-charge of Communication Jairam Ramesh said, “Today, Congress president called a meeting. Some MPs and leaders of the party were present. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha were also present.The topic of the meeting was the recent decision of the Supreme Court regarding the SC/ST reservation and quota within quota. Discussion was held on this.”

“The meeting lasted for around one and half an hour. It was decided that the Congress president would meet the chief ministers of the Congress-ruled state and would talk to the party’s state presidents and leaders. In the coming few days, the Congress party will take a decision on the verdict,” he said.

He said the Congress chief would also speak to the representatives of the civil society in this regard.

Ramesh, who is also a Rajya Sabha the Congress MP, said caste census was also discussed during the meeting.

He said the LoP in the Lok Sabha has been demanding caste census.

Last week, the SC, in an important judgment unsettling the perceived homogeneity of the SC and ST for the purposes of reservation, ruled that SCs are not a homogeneous group and the sub-classification amongst them is permissible for extending the benefits of the affirmative action to the most deprived sections amongst them.

Holding that SCs are not a homogeneous group and sub-classification for extending the benefits of reservation was permissible, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, speaking for himself and Justice Manoj Misra, said that the 2004 judgment by a five-judge Constitution bench holding that the sub-classification amongst the SC and ST was impermissible was not a correct law and overruled it.