Caste by birth remains same even if one changes religion: Allahabad HC

On the appellants plea that the woman has lost her caste after marrying someone from the Jat community, the court in its order dated February 10 observed, Though a person may change religion, his or her caste remains the same despite conversion to another religion.

The Allahabad High Court has observed that the caste of a person by birth remains the same even if he or she changes religion while granting relief to a woman, saying even marriage does not change her caste. Justice Anil Kumar made this observation while dismissing a criminal appeal filed by Dinesh and eight others who challenged an order passed by the Special Judge, SC/ST Act, Aligarh summoning them to face trial for offences under Sections of IPC and SC/ST Act. A criminal complaint was filed by the woman against the appellants alleging that she was assaulted by them who also used casteist slurs against her during the altercation. She further alleged that three people including herself were injured in the incident. The appellants had moved the court by filing the case and pleaded that though the woman originally belonged to the SC/ST community by birth and is originally a resident of West Bengal, she lost her caste status after she married a man belonging to the Jat community. Therefore, summoning the appellants for offences under the SC/ST Act was not sustainable. On the appellants' plea that the woman has lost her caste after marrying someone from the Jat community, the court in its order dated February 10 observed, ''Though a person may change religion, his or her caste remains the same despite conversion to another religion. Hence, marriage does not change a person's caste. Therefore, the said contention is unsustainable.''

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