Constitution of India · Part IV: Directive Principles of State Policy

Article 46: Promotion of educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections

Official text

Source: India Code (Legislative Department), the official text of the Constitution of India. As amended up to the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023. Text as on 10 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.

Supreme Court judgments citing the article 46

• Anjuman Ishaat-E-Taleem Trust v. The State of Maharashtra and Others
  2025 INSC 10631 September 2025Directions issued

  1) Whether the State can insist that a teacher seeking appointment in a minority educational institution must qualify the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET); If so, whether providing such a qualification would affect any of…

• Ram Charan & Ors. v. Sukhram & Ors.
  2025 INSC 86517 July 2025Appeal(s) allowed

  Issue arose whether a tribal woman or her legal heirs would be entitled to an equal share in her ancestral property or not.

• IN RE: ZUDPI JUNGLE LANDS versus
  2025 INSC 75422 May 2025Disposed of

  Issue pertains to the status of Zudpi Jungle or Zudpi Forest in the six districts of State of Maharashtra; and whether the recommendations made by the CEC in its 2025 Report should be accepted or not.

• Yerikala Sunkalamma & Anr. v. State of Andhra Pradesh, Department of Revenue & Ors.
  2025 INSC 38324 March 2025Disposed of

  Whether the High Court was correct in setting aside the judgment of the trial court whereby the appellants were held to be the lawful owners of the ‘Patta Land’.

• Pankaj Kumar Prasad v. National Seeds Corporation Ltd
  DHC DLHC010231852020 24112020 November 2024
• involved and in I.R. Coelho v. State of T.N. [(1999) 7
  2024 INSC 8355 November 2024Reference answered

  (1) Whether Article 31C (as upheld in Kesavananda Bharati case) survives in the Constitution after amendment to the provision by the forty-second amendment was struck down by the Supreme Court in Minerva Mills case; and…

• Shri Rajpal v. Adm (Notification) & Anr
  DHC DLHC012079662017 24091111 September 2024
• Namita Dabas and Ors v. A D M (Notification) and Anr
  DHC DLHC010326012017 24091111 September 2024
• The State of Punjab & Ors. v. Davinder Singh & Ors.
  2024 INSC 5621 August 2024Reference answered

  The Supreme Court was required to adjudicate upon whether the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes for the purpose of providing affirmative action, including reservation is valid. In this context, the following issues…

• Sarita Bakshi v. Delhi University & Anr
  DHC DLHC011302982018 24072626 July 2024
• Abhishek Manoj Warthi v. Union of India & Ors
  DHC DLHC010388052023 24052929 May 2024
• Karan Luthra v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi Through Its Secretary & Ors
  DHC DLHC010157452023 24031313 March 2024
• Ravi Kumar v. All India Institute of Medical Sciences
  2024:DHC:7712 February 2024
• Janhit Abhiyan v. Union of India
  2022 INSC 11757 November 2022Disposed of
• Aishat Shifa v. The State of Karnataka & Ors
  2022 INSC 108513 October 2022Matter placed before CJI.
• Satyajit Kumar & Ors. v. The State of Jharkhand & Ors.
  2022 INSC 7852 August 2022Partly allowed
• Neil Aurelio Nunes & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors
  2022 INSC 7320 January 2022Matters to be listed for final hearing.
• Dr. Jaishri Laxmanrao Patil v. The Chief Minister & Ors.
  2021 INSC 2845 May 2021Disposed of
• The Project Director, Project Implementation Unit v. P.V. Krishnamoorthy and Ors.
  2020 INSC 6888 December 2020Disposed of
• Praneeth K. and Ors. v. University Grants Commission (Ugc) and Ors.
  2020 INSC 51928 August 2020Disposed of
• Janhit Abhiyan v. Union of India & Ors.
  2020 INSC 4755 August 2020Directions issued
• Vinodchandra Sakarlal Kapadia v. State of Gujarat and Ors.
  2020 INSC 42715 June 2020Dismissed
• Medical College Vellore Association v. Union of India and Others
  2020 INSC 37429 April 2020Disposed of
• Chebrolu Leela Prasad Rao & Ors. v. State of A.P. & Ors.
  2020 INSC 34422 April 2020Appeal(s) allowed
• Dist. Collector Satara & Anr. v. Mangesh Nivrutti Kashid
  2019 INSC 11061 October 2019Appeal(s) allowed
• B K Pavitra and Ors. v. The Union of India and Ors
  2019 INSC 67110 May 2019Dismissed
• State of Punjab & Ors. v. The Senior Vocational Staff Masters Association
  2017 INSC 76918 August 2017Dismissed
• K. S. Varghese & Ors. v. St. Peters & Pauls Syrian Orth. & Ors.
  2017 INSC 5803 July 2017Dismissed
• National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors.
  2016 INSC 114015 December 2016Disposed of
• Vikas Sankhala & Ors. Etc. v. Vikas Kumar Agarwal & Ors. Etc.
  2016 INSC 97018 October 2016Disposed of
• Rajasthan Housing Board v. New Pink City Nirman Sahkari Samiti Ltd. & Anr.
  2015 INSC 3751 May 2015Disposed of
• Ram Singh & Ors. v. Union of India
  2015 INSC 23117 March 2015Allowed
• State of U.P. & Ors. v. Pawan Kumar Divedi & Ors,
  2014 INSC 5802 September 2014Dismissed
• State of Punjab & Ors. v. Rafiq Masih (White Washer)
  2014 INSC 4798 July 2014
• Maharshi Mahesh Yogi Vedic Vishwavidyalaya v. State of M.P. & Ors.
  2013 INSC 4283 July 2013Appeal(s) allowed
• Society for Un-Aided P.School of Rajasthan v. U.O.I. & Anr.
  2012 INSC 16912 April 2012Disposed of
• Kailas & Others v. State of Maharashtra Tr. Taluka P.S.
  2011 INSC 155 January 2011Dismissed
• V. Ramakrishna Rao v. The Singareni Collieries Company Ltd. and Anr.
  2010 INSC 6705 October 2010Appeal(s) allowed
• S. Nagaraj (Dead) by Lrs. & Ors. v. B.R. Vasudeva Murthy & Ors. Etc. Etc.
  2010 INSC 888 February 2010Disposed of
• Avinash Singh Bagri and Ors. v. Registrar Iit Delhi and Anr.
  2009 INSC 104312 August 2009Disposed of
• State of Kerala and Another v. Peoples Union for Civil Liberties, Kerala State Unit and Others
  2009 INSC 93521 July 2009Partly allowed
• Ashoka Kumar Thakur v. Union of India & Ors
  2008 INSC 47310 April 2008Disposed of
• M. Nagaraj and Ors. v. Union of India and Ors
  2006 INSC 71119 October 2006Reference answered
• E. v. Chinnaiah v. State of Andhra Pradesh and Ors.
  2004 INSC 6445 November 2004Appeal(s) allowed
• Javed and Ors. v. State of Haryana and Ors.
  2003 INSC 34230 July 2003Dismissed
• Bhaiji v. Sub Divisional Officer, Thandla and Ors.
  2002 INSC 54016 December 2002Dismissed
• Ashutosh Gupta v. State of Rajasthan and Ors.
  2002 INSC 15620 March 2002Dismissed
• State of Punjab v. Dayanand Medical College and Hospital and Ors.
  2001 INSC 50211 October 2001Appeal(s) allowed
• State of Bihar and Anr. v. Bal Mukund Sah and Ors.
  2000 INSC 13714 March 2000Dismissed
• Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh v. Faculty Association and Ors.
  1998 INSC 18417 April 1998Disposed of
• Samatha v. State of Andhra Pradesh and Ors.
  [1997] SUPP. 2 S.C.R. 30511 July 1997Disposed of
• D.N .. Venkatarayapp and Anr. v. State of Karnataka and Ors.
  1997 INSC 5519 July 1997Dismissed
• Ashok Kumar Gupta and Anr. v. State of U.P. and Ors.
  1997 INSC 30821 March 1997Dismissed
• Most Rev. P.M.A. Metropolitan and Ors. Etc. v. Moran Mar Marthoma Mathews and Anr. Etc.
  1997 INSC 1055 February 1997Directions issued
• State of Uttar Pradesh v. Dr. Dina Nath Shukla and Anr.
  1997 INSC 8331 January 1997Disposed of
• Superintending Engineer, Public Health, U.T Chandigarh and Ors. v. Kuldeep Singh and Ors.
  1997 INSC 4421 January 1997Dismissed
• State of UP and Anr. Etc. v. C.O.D. Chheoki Employees' Co-Op Society Ltd. and Ors. Etc.
  1997 INSC 4017 January 1997Appeal(s) allowed
• Air India Statutory Corporation v. United Labour Union and Ors.
  1996 INSC 14426 December 1996Appeals dismissed.
• Charan Singh Etc v. State of Punjab and Ors. Etc.
  1996 INSC 139427 November 1996Disposed of
• Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation v. Nawab Khan Gulab Khan and Ors.
  1996 INSC 118911 October 1996Appeal(s) allowed
• Sh. Heikham Surchandra Singh and Ors. Etc. v. The Representative of "Lois" Kakching, Manipur (A Scheduled Caste Uplift Body) and Ors.
  1996 INSC 11739 October 1996Disposed of
• Chattar Singh and Ors. v. State of Rajasthan and Ors.
  1996 INSC 110324 September 1996Disposed of
• M/S. Gujarat Machinery Manufacturers Ltd. v. Collector, Central Excise, Baroda.
  1996 INSC 103911 September 1996Appeal(s) allowed
• Papaiah v. State of Karnataka and Ors.
  1996 INSC 94123 August 1996Dismissed
• Panchayat Varga Sharmajivi Samudaik Sahakari Khedut Coop. Society Ltd. and Ors. v. Haribhai Mevabhai and Ors.
  1996 INSC 76219 July 1996Appeal(s) allowed
• J.P. Ravidas and Ors. v. Navyuvak Harijan Uthapan Multi Units Industrial Coop. Society Ltd. and Ors.
  1996 INSC 51912 April 1996Appeal(s) allowed
• Madhu Kishwar and Ors. Etc. v. State of Bihar and Ors.
  1996 INSC 4897 April 1996Disposed of
• Most Rev. P.Ma. Metropolitan and Ors. Etc v. Moran Mar Marthoma Mathews and Anr. Etc.
  1996 INSC 43425 March 1996Disposed of
• Keshabo and Anr. v. State of M.P. and Ors.
  1996 INSC 318 January 1996Dismissed
• Mrs. Valsamma Paul Etc. v. Cochin University and Ors. Etc.
  1996 INSC 164 January 1996Dismissed
• Kalidas Umedram and Ors. v. State of Gujarat and Anr.
  1995 INSC 89213 December 1995Dismissed
• R. Chandevarappa Etc. Etc. v. State of Karnataka and Ors. Etc. Etc.
  1995 INSC 5528 September 1995Dismissed
• State of Maharashtra v. Manubhai Pragaji Vashi and Ors.
  1995 INSC 46316 August 1995Dismissed
• Director of Tribal Welfare Government of Andhra Pradesh v. Laveti Giri and Anr
  1995 INSC 27218 April 1995Appeal(s) allowed
• Gulzara Singh v. The Collector, Ludhiana and Ors.
  1995 INSC 1687 March 1995Appeal(s) allowed
• Murlidhar Dayandeo Kesekar v. Vishwanath Pandu Barde and Anr.
  1995 INSC 13022 February 1995Dismissed
• State of Tamil Nadu and Ors. v. Ananthi Ammal and Ors.
  1994 INSC 53222 November 1994Appeal(s) allowed
• Kerala Swathanthra Malaya Thozhllali Federation and Ors. v. Kerala Trawlnet Boat Operators Association and Ors.
  1994 INSC 22423 June 1994Appeal(s) allowed
• Vishwas Anna Sawant and Ors. v. Municipal Corporation of Greater Bombay and Ors.
  1994 INSC 16922 April 1994Appeal allowed.
• State of Kerala v. Joseph Antony
  1993 INSC 3572 November 1993Appeal allowed.
• Unni Krishnan, J.P. and Ors. Etc. Irrc v. State of Andhra Pradesh and Ors. Etc. Etc.
  1993 INSC 404 February 1993Disposed of
• Indra Sawhney and Ors. Etc. Etc. v. Union of India and Ors. Etc. Etc.
  [1992] SUPP. 2 S.C.R. 45416 November 1992Disposed of
• Indian Administrative Service (S.C.S.) Association, U.P. and Ors. v. Union of India and Ors.
  1992 INSC 30611 November 1992Dismissed
• Peerless General Finance and Investment Co. Ltd. and Anr v. Reserve Bank of India
  1992 INSC 3230 January 1992Disposed of
• P & T Scheduled Caste/Tribe Employees' Welfare Association (Regd.) & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors.
  1988 INSC 24629 August 1988Allowed
• P. Rami Reddy & Ors. Etc. v. State of Andhra Pradesh & Anr. Etc.
  1988 INSC 17414 July 1988Dismissed
• A. Viswanathan v. State Transport Appellate Tribunal, Pondicherry & Another
  1987 INSC 356 February 1987Disposed of
• Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Gian Prakash, New Delhi & Anr. v. K.S. Jagannathan & Anr.
  1986 INSC 531 April 1986Dismissed
• Om Parkash Agarwal Etc.Etc. v. Girl Raj Kishori & Ors. Etc.Etc.
  1986 INSC 828 January 1986Appeal(s) allowed
• K.C. Vasanth Kumar & Another. v. State of Karnataka
  1985 INSC 1278 May 1985Disposed of
• Lingappa Pochanna Appelwar and Ors. v. State of Maharashtra and Anr. Etc.
  1984 INSC 2264 December 1984Dismissed
• Prem Prakash v. Union of India and Ors.
  1984 INSC 15022 August 1984Allowed
• Manchegowda Etc. v. State of Karnataka Etc.
  1984 INSC 8417 April 1984Dismissed
• Akhil Bharatiya Soshit Karamchari Sangh (Railway) Represented by Its Assistant General Secretary on Behalf of the Association v. Union of India and Ors.
  1980 INSC 22414 November 1980Dismissed
• S. S. Sharma & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors.
  1980 INSC 21010 November 1980Dismissed
• Gian Singh Mann v. The High Court of Punjab and Haryana and Anr.
  1980 INSC 16122 August 1980Dismissed
• Income Tax Officer, Shillong and Anr. Etc. v. N. Takim Roy Rymbai Etc. Etc.
  1976 INSC 3017 February 1976Appeal(s) allowed
• Smt. Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Shri Raj Narain
  1975 INSC 2727 November 1975Dismissed
• State of Kerala & Anr. v. N. M. Thomas & Ors.
  1975 INSC 22419 September 1975Appeal(s) allowed
• State of Uttar Pradesh v. Pradip Tandon & Ors.
  1974 INSC 24519 November 1974Partly allowed