New Delhi, March 24
The Supreme Court of India today ruled that only individuals belonging to Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist religions are eligible for Scheduled Caste (SC) status. The Court stated that any person who converts to Christianity or any other religion will lose their Scheduled Caste status.
A bench comprising Justice P. K. Mishra and Justice Manmohan Singh held that a Dalit who converts to Christianity cannot claim the benefits provided under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The judgment effectively challenges the May 2025 decision of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. The case was filed by Chintada Anand, who had converted to Christianity and became a pastor. He alleged caste-based discrimination and harassment by certain individuals, including Akkala Ramireddy.
Chintada had filed a case under the SC/ST Act, but when the matter reached the High Court, it declined to hear the petition. Following this, he approached the Supreme Court.
The case pertains to Anakapalle in Visakhapatnam district, where Chintada originally belonged to a Scheduled Caste (Mala community) before converting to Christianity. During the proceedings, the High Court found that his SC certificate had been cancelled due to his conversion.
The Court observed that after religious conversion, a person loses their Scheduled Caste status and therefore cannot claim protection under the SC/ST Act.
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