Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950: Supreme Court defines religion-based eligibility for Scheduled Caste status

Key facts

• The Supreme Court (SC) ruled that Scheduled Caste (SC) status is strictly limited to individuals professing Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist religions.
• Under Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, conversion to any religion other than those specified leads to the immediate loss of SC status regardless of birth.
• The SC bench, comprising Justices P K Mishra and Manmohan, upheld an Andhra Pradesh High Court decision denying SC benefits to individuals who convert to Christianity.
• The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, does not include religion-based exclusions, meaning Scheduled Tribe (ST) status depends on tribal identity and community acceptance rather than faith alone.
• For an individual to reclaim SC status through reconversion, they must provide credible evidence of original caste membership and total dissociation from the converted religion.
• The SC stated that the theological foundation of Christianity does not recognise the institution of caste, making it incompatible with SC status claims.
• The ruling establishes that individuals professing religions outside the 1950 Order cannot seek protection under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 2015.