2 months ago
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The Supreme Court connected Tuesday (March 24, 2026) confirmed an Andhra Pradesh High Court determination that lone Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists tin assertion to beryllium a subordinate of a Scheduled Caste community.
A idiosyncratic who converts to immoderate different religion, including Christianity, cannot question the benefits owed to a Scheduled Caste assemblage member.
A Bench headed by Justice P.K. Mishra, successful a decision, invoked Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order, 1950, which mandates that “no idiosyncratic who professes a religion antithetic from Hinduism shall beryllium deemed to beryllium a subordinate of a Scheduled Caste”. The tribunal said the regularisation nether the clause was absolute.
The tribunal recovered that conversion to immoderate religion not specified successful Clause 3 of the 1950 bid by a Scheduled Caste subordinate would pb to the nonaccomplishment of the reserved class status. A Scheduled Caste idiosyncratic who converts to Christianity tin not assertion usurpation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
“No statutory benefit, extortion oregon preservation oregon entitlement nether the Constitution oregon enactment of Parliament oregon State legislature tin beryllium claimed by oregon extended to immoderate idiosyncratic who by cognition of Clause 3 is not deemed to beryllium a subordinate of the Scheduled Caste. This barroom is implicit and admits nary exception. A idiosyncratic cannot simultaneously profess and signifier a religion different than the 1 specified successful Clause 3 and assertion rank of the Scheduled Caste,” the apex tribunal said.
The determination came successful the lawsuit of a person, who converted to Christianity and acted arsenic a pastor, but had filed a lawsuit nether the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against definite persons who had allegedly subjected him to assault.
