The Supreme Court today upheld the constitutional validity of reservation for backward classes in rural and urban local bodies, including posts of chairpersons. It also rejected the plea that the creamy layer should be excluded. <br/><br/>A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, however, said the reservation benefits should not exceed the 50 per cent upper ceiling limit except in Scheduled areas. The bench also comprising Justices R V Raveendran, D K Jain, P Sathasivam and J M Panchal said in a judgement that the objectives of democratic decentralisation are not only to bring governance closer to the people but also to make it more participatory, inclusive and accountable to the weaker sections of society. <br/><br/>The apex court passed the judgement on a bunch of petitions filed by various persons challenging the constitutional validity of Articles 243-D(6) and Article 243-T (6) which provided for reservation benefits to members of Backward Classes in local bodies and chairperson posts. <br/><br/>According to the apex court, at the panchayats' level, the empowerment of the elected individual is only a means for pursuing the larger end of advancing the interests of weaker sections.