Only Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists must be allowed to contest in SC-reserved constituencies: plea in Madras HC

A public interest litigation (PIL) petition has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to ensure that nominations for 44 reserved Assembly constituencies in the state are strictly scrutinized in accordance with the Supreme Court’s recent verdict on Scheduled Caste status and religion. The apex court stated that SC status is strictly limited to persons professing Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism and does not extend to converts to other religions.

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Arjun Sampath of Indu Makkal Katchi had filed the PIL petition. He told the court that Article 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 made it clear that only Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists could be considered members of the Scheduled Caste and not converts to other religions. This legal situation was approved by the Supreme Court with a decision made on March 24, 2026.

“A person cannot simultaneously profess and practice a religion other than that specified in Article 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and at the same time claim membership of a Scheduled Caste. A person who professes and practices such religion for personal, social and spiritual purposes cannot, in law, claim membership of a Scheduled Caste for the purpose of securing legitimate interests. These two positions are mutually exclusive and contrary to the scheme of the Constitution,” the Supreme Court said. observed.

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The apex court had further said: “No legal benefit, protection, reservation or power under the Constitution or any act of Parliament or the State legislature, based on membership of the Scheduled Caste, shall be claimed by or extended to any person who is not considered to be a member of the Scheduled Caste under Article 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. This bar is absolute and admits of no exception.”

Therefore, the PIL petitioner insisted that the CEO should comply with the law, especially Article 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and its consequences in the present election and issue appropriate instructions to all Returning Officers to accept the nominations in accordance with this legal provision.

Mr. Sampath also claimed that he has reliably learned that 90% of the candidates who have filed their candidates so far in the 44 constituencies earmarked for this year’s Assembly elections have converted to Christianity and are therefore ineligible to contest in these constituencies.

Since the last day to file nominations was April 6, 2026 and the nominations would come up for scrutiny on April 7, 2026, the petitioner told the court that it was imperative for the CEO to issue necessary instructions to the Returning Officers to reject nominations filed by candidates professing a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism in reserved constituencies.