New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India has reaffirmed that Scheduled Caste (SC) status is available exclusively to individuals who profess Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism, and that conversion to any other religion results in the automatic loss of such status.
In a judgment delivered on Tuesday, a bench comprising Justices PK Mishra and NV Anjaria upheld a May 2025 ruling by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which had quashed an FIR filed under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by a Christian pastor.
The case involved Chinthada Anand, a pastor from the Madiga community who converted to Christianity more than a decade ago. Anand alleged that he and his family faced assault, death threats and caste-based abuse from accused persons, including Akkala Ramireddy. He sought protection under the SC/ST Act, but the accused challenged his eligibility on the ground that he had converted to Christianity and was actively functioning as a pastor.
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The Supreme Court noted that Anand had been conducting regular Sunday prayer meetings and was engaged in prayer at the time of the alleged incident. The court observed that there was no evidence of re-conversion to his original faith or acceptance back into the Madiga community.
Delivering the verdict, the bench stated: “No person who professes a religion other than Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist shall be a member of the Scheduled Caste. Conversion to any other religion results in loss of Scheduled Caste status.”
The Supreme Court emphasised that possession of an SC certificate does not help once a person has converted, as caste distinctions are not recognised in the new faith. The ruling aligns with the constitutional position that SC benefits are confined to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists.
This decision is expected to have wide implications for converted Christians and Muslims seeking SC status and associated protections under Indian law. (Word count: 298)
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