CPI(M) Challenges Supreme Court Ruling on SC Status Post-Conversion

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has opposed a Supreme Court judgment affirming that individuals converting to Christianity cannot retain Scheduled Caste status. The party asserts this emphasis on religious identity undermines the socio-economic foundation of SC reservations, and calls for a Constitution Bench review of the decision.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has voiced strong opposition to a recent Supreme Court ruling that individuals converting to Christianity cannot be classified as Scheduled Caste (SC). The ruling, upheld by the Andhra Pradesh High Court, places religious identity above socio-economic challenges, according to the CPI(M).

The party maintains that reservation and protection for the SC community are based on socio-economic status, not religious belief, and argues that the decision contradicts the reservation system's objectives outlined in the Constitution. Consequently, CPI(M) has called for the issue to be reconsidered by a Constitution Bench.

The Supreme Court decision confirms that SC individuals lose their caste status upon shifting to religions other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism. The CPI(M) seeks a broader judicial review to reassess the implications of the ruling, contending it fails to address persistent social and economic disadvantages.

(With inputs from agencies.)