CJI tells petitioner seeking SC-ST seat rotation to protest instead

The Chief Justice of India suggested on Tuesday that a petitioner seeking changes to reserved seats in state Assemblies should go and protest instead. The remark came during a hearing on 4 November 2026.

The petition asked the court to order rotation of constituencies reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in state legislative Assemblies. The Chief Justice responded with a light remark, telling the petitioner that he may have dialled the wrong number and could protest for the change. The petitioner's name and any further words from the bench have not been made public.

Reserved seats are constituencies set aside for candidates from SC and ST communities, so that these groups have representation in legislatures. Demands for rotating such seats between elections have been raised in the past, as a way of giving different constituencies a chance to be represented over time.

The remark came in open court, while a constitutional question was being argued. It was a quip, not a ruling. It is not yet known whether the court will take up the merits of the plea in a later hearing.

It is not yet known how the court responded to the petition itself, or whether any directions were issued.