Champakam Dorairajan

The Supreme Court ruling in State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan (1951) led to the First Constitutional Amendment, allowing caste-based reservations in higher education.

• About Champakam Dorairajan contribution: In 1948, the Madras government introduced the Communal General Order (Communal G.O.), allotting admissions to educational institutions based on caste.

o The case Srimathi Champakam Dorairajan & Anr. v. The State of Madras became the first to test caste-based reservations under the Constitution.

• Court Verdicts and Impact: The Supreme Court bench declared the law unconstitutional, ruling that classification based on religion, race, and caste violated fundamental rights.

o The government responded with the First Constitutional Amendment, introducing Article 15(4), which expressly allowed reservations in higher education.

• Legal and Historical Significance: The ruling reinforced the primacy of Fundamental Rights over Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP).

o The government had argued that Article 46 (DPSP) mandated the promotion of SCs, STs, and weaker sections, but the court ruled that unenforceable DPSPs cannot override Fundamental Rights.