No Scheduled Caste status on conversion to religions other than Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India recently ruled that Scheduled Caste (SC) status is lost upon conversion to religions other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism. This decision upholds constitutional provisions limiting SC benefits to these faiths only.
A bench of Justices PK Mishra and Manmohan affirmed an Andhra Pradesh High Court order from May 2025 involving pastor Chinthade Anand. The court held that active profession of Christianity disqualifies one from SC protections under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 (Clause 3) explicitly states no one professing other religions qualifies as SC, creating an absolute bar with no exceptions.
This stems from the 1950 Order, which ties SC membership to Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist faiths. Conversion triggers immediate loss of status, regardless of birth caste, to prevent fraudulent claims.
The ruling emphasizes that statutory benefits or reservations cannot extend to those outside this framework.
