Christian petitioner denied SC status over religious profession
Conversion other than Hindiuism strips SC status, rules Indian Supreme Court
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has ruled that a person loses Scheduled Caste (SC) status upon converting to a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism, declaring that such a bar is absolute under the law.
According to Kashmir Media Service, a bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and N. V. Anjaria upheld an earlier judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, stating that no individual professing a religion outside those specified in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, can claim SC status or related constitutional benefits.
The court observed that conversion results in an immediate and complete loss of SC recognition, and no statutory protection, reservation, or entitlement can be extended thereafter. It emphasized that a person cannot simultaneously practice another religion and claim SC membership.
The ruling came while dismissing a petition filed by a pastor, Chinthada Anand, who had challenged the high court’s decision after it quashed charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in a criminal case. The apex court noted that the petitioner had continued to profess Christianity and function as a pastor, thereby disqualifying him from claiming SC status.
Legal experts say the verdict reinforces the rigid framework governing caste-based entitlements in India and highlights the limitations faced by converts in accessing constitutional safeguards.
