(Image source from: Indiatoday.in)
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court supported a decision made by the Andhra Pradesh High Court stating that someone who converts to Christianity and continues to practice this faith cannot be considered part of a Scheduled Caste. The highest court emphasized that people who follow religions other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism are not eligible for Scheduled Caste recognition. It stated that changing to any other religion results in an immediate and total loss of that status. Citing the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order from 1950, the court indicated that the rule is "absolute" and does not allow for exceptions. The bench mentioned that "no legal benefits, safeguards, or reservations can be claimed by someone who isn't recognized as part of the Scheduled Caste according to the order. " The court reaffirmed that an individual cannot both practice a different religion and also claim to be part of the Scheduled Caste at the same time.
This ruling arose from a case involving a man who had converted to Christianity and was working as a pastor. He had filed a report under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act claiming he was assaulted and faced caste-related abuse. The Andhra Pradesh High Court had previously dismissed these allegations, stating that the caste system does not apply to Christianity and that the SC/ST Act does not apply in this situation. This decision was appealed to the Supreme Court. Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and N V Anjaria remarked that the petitioner had kept practicing Christianity and had served as a pastor for more than ten years, regularly leading Sunday services. They also noted that he was conducting a prayer meeting when the alleged incident occurred. The court said, "These details leave no doubt that he remained a Christian at the time of the event," and it dismissed his request for SC/ST Act protection.
The court further explained that just having a Scheduled Caste certificate does not automatically provide legal protections after a conversion. It stated that issues regarding the cancellation of such certificates should be handled by the appropriate authority under the relevant state regulations. This ruling does not address the larger matter of Dalit Christians, which remains unresolved. The judgment specifies that only individuals who belong to the SC/ST community can file complaints under the SC/ST Act.
