US EditionNo SC Status After Religious Conversion Beyond Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism, Says Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court ruled that Scheduled Caste status and related benefits apply only to Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists, excluding converts to Christianity under the 1950 order.
- On March 24, 2026, the Supreme Court of India upheld the Andhra Pradesh High Court decision that only Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists can claim Scheduled Caste status, the bench said.
- Invoking Clause 3 of the Constitution Order, 1950, the bench said persons professing other religions are not deemed Scheduled Caste members, relying on the April 30, 2025 Andhra Pradesh High Court order.
- The case began after Pastor Chintada Anand, who had converted to Christianity and acted as a pastor, filed an FIR under the SC/ST Act, which the High Court quashed, citing conversion.
- The court described the exclusion as absolute and admitting no exception; persons not deemed members under Clause 3 cannot claim statutory benefits or remedies under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act.
- Authorities were told non-cancellation of a caste certificate does not grant protection, and certificate disputes must be resolved under the Andhra Pradesh Regulation of Issue of Community Certificates Act, 1993.
39 Articles
39 Articles
Only Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs Can Claim Schedule Caste Status: Supreme Court
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The High Court was of the view that Christianity does not recognise the caste system and that a person who has converted and continues to actively work as a Pastor and professes Christianity, cannot, in law, claim protection under the SC/ST Act. India News | Only Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs Can Claim Schedule Caste Status: Supreme Court.
Telangana BJP hails Supreme Court denying SC status to those who converted
Hyderabad: Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President N Ramchander Rao on Tuesday, March 24, welcomed the Supreme Court verdict on Scheduled Caste reservation and constitutional rights to those who have converted to other religions. In a statement, Rao hailed the apex court’s decision to uphold a previous ruling by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, calling it a “historic victory for the spirit of the Constitution.” Rao emphasised that the SC …
Converts to any religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism not eligible for Scheduled Caste benefits: SC
The SC upeheld the order of Andhra Pradesh High Court..Scheduled Caste conversion, SC status loss Christianity, Indian Supreme Court SC ruling, religion and caste India, SC reservation conversion, Buddhism Sikhism Hinduism SC, AI constitutional law analysis, LLM legal precedent interpretation, AI policy impact Scheduled Castes, LLM caste discrimination India, SC ST Act protection conversion, Supreme Court India religion caste, conversion impact …
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Sambad EnglishConverted Christians Cannot Claim Scheduled Caste Status: Supreme Court
The verdict came in a case involving a man who had converted to Christianity and was working as a pastor, but had filed a complaint under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act alleging assault and caste-based abuse.
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