# Centre seeks 2-year deferral of SC ruling on OBC creamy layer 2026-09-24T18:01:41+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on the Centre's plea for prospective application of its March 11 judgment on OBC creamy layer classification. The Centre has sought a two-year window to implement the ruling, arguing that immediate application to past and ongoing recruitment would cause administrative chaos and unsettle seniority and appointments of candidates not party to the litigation. The March 11 judgment held that the salary or income of a parent employed in a PSU or private sector cannot alone determine whether an OBC candidate falls within the creamy layer. The court said the parent's post status must also be considered. The Centre clarified it is not seeking to dilute the judgment, but wants time for an equivalence exercise. The bench, led by Justice PS Narasimha who authored the March ruling, questioned what the Centre did during the six months it was given to implement the order. The government's application came in late August. The court has reserved its order on the plea. ## Indian Opinion Analysis The Centre's framing emphasises administrative chaos and competing rights of non-party candidates, portraying the judgment as disruptive without challenging its merit. The Hindustan Times report adds the bench's critical question about the government's six-month delay, which the other sources omit. That detail shifts the focus from implementation difficulty to potential government inaction. The balanced reading: the court granted six months, the Centre moved at the fag end, and the bench noted it. The order, when it comes, will test whether the court accepts the two-year deferral or insists on faster compliance. ## Coverage - newindianexpress.com (neutral report) Leads with Centre's plea and quotes government's arguments without editorialising - hindustantimes.com (neutral report) Includes court's critical question about delay alongside Centre's case, no slant - ndtv.com (neutral report) Brief straight-news summary of plea, no additional framing or comment Tags: Centre, creamy layer, OBC, Supreme Court Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/centre-seeks-two-years-to-implement-obc-creamy-layer-ruling/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/centre-seeks-two-years-to-implement-obc-creamy-layer-ruling/#story-in-brief