Context: Scheduled Caste status
Supreme Court said Scheduled Caste status is available only to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists; if a person converts to any other religion, Scheduled Caste status ends from that point.
Key points
- The judgment relies on Clause 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950.
- This clause originally covered only Hindus.
- Sikhs were included in 1956.
- Buddhists were included in 1990.
- So, at present, Scheduled Caste status is legally limited to Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism.
- The Court called this bar absolute, meaning conversion to Christianity or Islam leads to loss of Scheduled Caste status.
From where does this power come?
• The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 is issued under Article 341 of the Constitution.
• Article 341(1): President specifies which castes are Scheduled Castes.
• Article 341(2): Parliament can later include or exclude groups from that list.
