Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Christians, Dalit Muslims: Supreme Court dismisses plea against Commission set up by Centre

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a petition challenging the setting up of a three-member Commission by the Union government in October last year to examine the possibility of granting the Scheduled Caste status to Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims.

The Bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice B.V. Nagarathna disposed of the plea, observing that it did not see any ground to quash the appointment of the Commission.

The Apex Court came down heavily on the petitioner for filing such a plea, when the Supreme Court was already hearing the matter. It further asked the petitioner regarding the rules and regulation, which permitted him to do this. 

A three-member inquiry commission headed by former CJI K.G. Balakrishnan was set up by the Central government in October 2022 to examine whether Dalits, who had converted to Islam and Christianity over the years, could be given the Scheduled Caste status.

The petition contended that the 2007 report of the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities had supported granting the Scheduled Caste status to Dalits who converted to Islam and Christianity.

Earlier on January 19 this year, the Union government had apprised the Apex Court that the study conducted by the Justice Ranganath Misra Commission had failed to focus on certain intrinsic issues. 

Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the three-member Commission headed by former CJI Balakrishnan, was constituted specifically to delve into the question of whether a Dalit even after conversion, continued to have Scheduled Caste status.