New Delhi: The Supreme Court today (Tuesday) upheld the order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which had said that if a person adopts Christianity and actively practices it, he cannot remain a member of the Scheduled Caste community. The Supreme Court said that a person following any religion other than Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist cannot be considered a member of the Scheduled Caste.
Scheduled Caste status ends immediately on religious conversion
The Supreme Court said that this has been made clear in the Constitution (Scheduled Caste) Order, 1950 and the ban under this order applies completely. On conversion to any religion not specified in Clause 3 of the 1950 Order, the person immediately loses his Scheduled Caste status, irrespective of his birth in the Scheduled Caste category. The Court held that no protection, reservation, right or statutory benefit under the Constitution or by an Act of Parliament or of the Legislature of a State can be claimed by or be granted to a person who is not deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste as per section 3.
The person who became a Christian had filed a case under the SC/ST Act.
The Supreme Court said that this ban is completely applicable. There is no exception of any kind in this. No person shall simultaneously accept and practice any religion other than the religion included in section 3. And he cannot claim membership of the Scheduled Caste. Know that this order was passed in the context of a person who had converted to Christianity and worked as a priest. Despite this, she had filed a case under the SC/ST Act against the persons who had allegedly attacked her.
The accused had challenged the pastor’s case
He had claimed protection under the SC/ST Act. But then the accused challenged it, saying it was against the law, because the priest had converted and actively practiced Christianity.
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