India's SC on Scheduled Caste Status

By Jordan Kim

India's Supreme Court has affirmed that only individuals professing Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism are eligible for Scheduled Caste status, a landmark decision that excludes those who convert to other religions like Christianity from receiving associated benefits. This ruling, which upholds a previous high court decision, is rooted in Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order, 1950, solidifying the legal framework for caste-based affirmative action.

www.thehindu.com reports: India's Supreme Court has confirmed that only individuals professing Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism can be considered members of a Scheduled Caste community, as reported by The Hindu.
According to The Hindu, this ruling upholds a previous decision made by the Andhra Pradesh High Court on the matter of Scheduled Caste eligibility.
The Hindu states that conversion to any other religion, including Christianity, disqualifies a person from seeking Scheduled Caste benefits.
The Supreme Court's decision invokes Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order, 1950, as the basis for its ruling.
As The Hindu noted, Clause 3 specifically restricts Scheduled Caste status to those who do not profess a religion different from Hinduism.

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