New Delhi, November 28, 2024: The Supreme Court of India delivered a significant ruling on November 28, 2024, stating that individuals who convert or reconvert to a different religion solely for the purpose of securing benefits under the Scheduled Castes (SC) or Scheduled Tribes (ST) reservation system are not entitled to such benefits. This judgment came as the Court dismissed an appeal by C. Selvarani, who had sought a Scheduled Caste certificate after claiming to have converted from Christianity to Hinduism.
The Court emphasized that while religious conversion is a personal right, it should not be exploited for gaining unfair advantages under the reservation policies. Justice Mahadevan, who authored the judgment, stressed that religious conversions must be based on genuine belief, rather than the intention of manipulating the reservation system. The Court also pointed out that Selvarani’s claim lacked sufficient evidence of reconversion and noted that her continued practice of Christianity contradicted her assertion.
This ruling highlights the importance of preventing the misuse of the reservation system, ensuring that conversions are not carried out for opportunistic purposes. The Supreme Court’s decision reinforces the principle that reservations are intended to uplift marginalized communities, not to be exploited for personal gain.
The judgment is expected to have a lasting impact on future cases where religious conversion is linked to benefits under affirmative action policies. It serves as a reminder for individuals to uphold genuine religious beliefs and for authorities to apply social welfare programs fairly.
