New Delhi: The Supreme Court has dismissed a review petition challenging its earlier judgment that held a person belonging to a Scheduled Caste (SC) community loses their Scheduled Caste status upon converting to a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism.
A Bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan rejected the plea, finding no grounds to revisit its March 24, 2026 verdict.
In its order dated July 15, the apex court said there was “no error apparent on the record” in the judgment under review.
“Application seeking oral hearing of the review petition is rejected. We have gone through the review petition and perused the judgment dated March 24, 2026, which has been sought to be reviewed. There is no error apparent on the record. The Review Petition is, accordingly, dismissed,” the Bench said.
The review petition had sought reconsideration of the Supreme Court’s March 24 ruling, which held that a person from a Scheduled Caste community who converts to a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism ceases to enjoy Scheduled Caste status from the date of conversion.
With the dismissal of the review petition, the apex court’s March 24 judgment remains in force.
Supreme Court’s BIG Verdict
The Supreme Court said that a person who converts to a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism cannot be considered as a member of his/her respective Scheduled Caste. The verdict was passed by a bench of Justices PK Mishra and NV Anjaria, upholding an Andhra Pradesh high court order.
The court ruled that only those individuals who are practicing Hinduism, Buddhism, or Sikhism can claim SC status. The top court upheld the Andhra Pradesh High Court’s order, which stated that an individual who converted to Christianity and actively professes and practices the same cannot continue to be a member of the Scheduled Caste community. The judgment implied that a Hindu who converted to Christianity can’t be regarded as a Scheduled Caste member and cannot invoke the SC/ST Act.
Notably, the Andhra HC on April 30 last year held that the caste system was alien to Christianity, and an individual who converted to Christianity and actively professes and practices the same cannot continue to be a member of the Scheduled Caste community and is consequently barred from invoking the provisions of the SC/ST Act .