FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.8.0_66"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_66-b17)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.66-b17, mixed mode)


A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
An empty (no constants) enum inside an anonymous class is silently accepted by javac when it is within a static method.

If constants are added, a compiler error is issued, but not about the enum itself, but rather about a bad reference to "this" in the constant: "non-static variable this cannot be referenced from a static context".

Note: Eclipse compiler correctly rejects such an enum.

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Compile the given test case source.
Run it.

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
A compilation error indicating that enums are not allowed within inner/anonymous classes.
ACTUAL -
Compilation succeeds. The program runs, and shows the following output:

SimpleTest$1
[class SimpleTest$1$ShouldNotBeAllowed]
class java.lang.Enum


REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
import java.util.Arrays;
 
public class SimpleTest {
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
 
        Object a = new Object() { enum ShouldNotBeAllowed{ } };
        Class<?>[] classes = a.getClass().getDeclaredClasses();
        System.out.println(a.getClass().getName());
        System.out.println(Arrays.toString(classes));
        System.out.println(classes[0].getSuperclass());
 
    }
 
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------