Reconversion Can Restore SC Status Subject to Strict Conditions; March 2026 Judgment Remains in Force
New Delhi, July 27: The Supreme Court has dismissed a review petition challenging its March 2026 judgment which held that a person loses Scheduled Caste (SC) status immediately upon converting to any religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism.
A Bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan ruled that there was no apparent error in its earlier judgment warranting a review. The Court also rejected the petitioner’s request for an oral hearing, observing that the case did not merit reconsideration.
Reaffirming its earlier position, the apex court stated that an individual who converts to Christianity or any religion outside Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism ceases to be entitled to Scheduled Caste status from the date of conversion. Consequently, such persons are not eligible to claim benefits or legal protections exclusively available to Scheduled Castes under existing laws.
However, the Court clarified that Scheduled Caste status may be restored if the individual genuinely reconverts to Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism. It said restoration would depend on fulfilling specific conditions, including proving original Scheduled Caste identity, complete renunciation of the previously adopted religion, and acceptance back into the original caste community.
The review petition stemmed from a case in which the Supreme Court had upheld the quashing of an FIR registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The complainant, a Christian pastor born into a Scheduled Caste family, had challenged the earlier ruling after the Court held that the protections available under the SC/ST Act do not extend to persons who no longer profess Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism.
With the dismissal of the review petition, the Supreme Court’s March 2026 judgment continues to remain in force, reaffirming the legal position regarding the loss and possible restoration of Scheduled Caste status following religious conversion. (KNC)
