The Supreme Court has held that Scheduled Caste status is confined to persons professing Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism, and that a person who converts to any other religion is not entitled to Scheduled Caste status or the constitutional and legal benefits attached to it.
The Court affirmed an order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court which had quashed a First Information Report registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on a complaint filed by a Christian pastor.
The High Court, by its order dated April 30, 2025, had accepted the contention of the accused that the complainant had converted to Christianity and had been serving as a pastor for the preceding ten years, and therefore could not claim to be a member of a Scheduled Caste.
According to the case record, the complainant, a resident of Pittalavanipalem in Andhra Pradesh, had lodged an FIR alleging that certain persons had assaulted him and used caste-based abusive language against him. The FIR was registered under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Challenging the FIR, the accused approached the High Court contending that the complainant, having converted to Christianity, was no longer entitled to Scheduled Caste status.
A Bench comprising Justice Prashant Mishra and Justice N. V. Anjaria, while upholding the High Court’s decision, referred to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. The Court observed that Clause 3 of the Order provides that a person who converts to a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism loses Scheduled Caste status.
The Court held that such a person is not entitled to any constitutional benefits, including reservation, or legal protection available to Scheduled Castes.
The Supreme Court also rejected the complainant’s submission that he possessed a caste certificate issued by a Tehsildar identifying him as belonging to the Scheduled Caste ‘Madiga’ community. The Court observed that the certificate ought to have been cancelled and could not be relied upon to claim protection under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The Court stated that misuse of caste certificates cannot form the basis for seeking protection under the provisions of the Act.
The ruling reiterates that Scheduled Caste status by birth remains restricted to persons professing religions recognised under the Constitution for this purpose, and that conversion to any other religion disentitles a person from claiming such status and the benefits attached to it.
