Supreme Court of India bars religious converts from Scheduled Caste status
Change
The Supreme Court of India ruled that conversion to any religion other than Hinduism, Buddhism, or Sikhism causes immediate and complete loss of Scheduled Caste status from the moment of conversion, terminating all statutory benefits, reservations and protections including under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Why it matters
Public authorities that maintain caste rolls and administer reservation quotas must treat persons who have converted away from Hinduism, Buddhism, or Sikhism as ineligible for any Scheduled Caste entitlements. Persons claiming reconversion must provide cumulative, unimpeachable proof of earlier caste status, credible evidence of bona fide reconversion, and demonstrable acceptance by their original caste community before benefits can be restored.
Implications
- • State social welfare departments must remove from Scheduled Caste rolls any person documented to have converted to a religion other than Hinduism, Buddhism, or Sikhism, or face legal challenge and invalidated benefit payments.
- • District caste-certificate issuing authorities must suspend issuance or renewal of Scheduled Caste certificates to applicants who cannot produce cumulative proof of reconversion and community acceptance, or their certificates will be subject to cancellation.
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