Supreme Court of India
K.P. MANUversusCHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMMITTEE FOR VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERTIFICATE
- Citation
- 2015 INSC 163
- Decided
- 26 February 2015
- Disposal
- Appeal(s) allowed
- Bench
- DIPAK MISRA
Holding
A person reconverted to the original Hindu religion and accepted by the caste community, with clear proof of belonging to a caste listed in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, is entitled to Scheduled Caste status even if born to Christian parents.
Summary
The appellant, K.P. Manu, born to Christian parents, reconverted to Hinduism at age 24 and obtained a Hindu Pulaya caste certificate. The Scrutiny Committee and the Kerala High Court cancelled the certificate, holding that his Christian birth precluded Scheduled Caste status. The Supreme Court examined whether a person born to Christian parents, whose ancestors belonged to a Scheduled Caste, can regain caste status upon reconversion and community acceptance. Relying on the Constitution Bench decision in Y. Mohan Rao and subsequent judgments, the Court held that three conditions are required: proof of belonging to a caste listed in the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, reconversion to the original religion, and acceptance by the community. The Court found that Manu satisfied all three, as his great‑grandfather was a Pulaya, he reconverted, and the Pulaya community accepted him. Consequently, the High Court’s order and the Scrutiny Committee’s findings were set aside, and Manu was reinstated with full seniority and back wages. The appeal was allowed.
Issues considered
- Whether a person born to Christian parents, whose ancestors belonged to a Scheduled Caste, can claim Scheduled Caste status after reconversion to Hinduism.
- Whether acceptance by the caste community is a necessary condition for revival of caste status.
- Whether the doctrine of eclipse and per incuriam doctrine affect the applicability of earlier precedents on conversion and caste.
- Whether the Kerala (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Regulation of Issue of Community Certificates Act, 1996, permits cancellation of a caste certificate on the basis of religious birth.
Legislation cited
Subjects
caste certificatereconversionScheduled Castecommunity acceptanceKerala Act 1996doctrine of eclipseper incuriamreligious conversionscheduled caste status
Judgment
[2015] 3 S.C.R. 243
K.P. MANU A
v.
CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMMITTEE FOR
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERTIFICATE
8
(Civil Appeal No. 7065 of 2008)
FEBRUARY 26, 2015
[DIPAK MISRA AND V. GOPALA GOWDA, JJ.] C
·Kera/a (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes)
Regulation of Issue of Community Certificates Act, 1996
- Grant of caste certificate - Challenge to - Appellant born
to Christian parents, his grandfather embraced the
0
Christianity after leaving Hinduism and the appellant
converted to Hindu at the age of 24 - Grant of caste
certificate of 'Hindu Pulaya' to which his ancestors
belonged - Scrutiny committee as also High Court holding
that he could not be treated as a Hindu - Sustainability E
of - Held: Not sustainable - For grant of scheduled caste
status, person must belong to the caste recognised by the
Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, there should
be reconversion to the original religion to which the
forefathers belonged; and should be accepted by the F
community -Appellant after reconversion had come within
the fold of the community, and thereby became a member
of the Scheduled Caste - Had the community expelled
him, the matter would have been different - Acceptance
is in continuum - Appellant's marriage to a Christian lady G
and non-production of any evidence for leading the life of
a Hindu would not make any difference - Appel/an( to be
243 H
244 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A ·reinstated in service forthwith with all the benefits relating
to seniority and his caste and also be paid back wages
upto 75 per cent - Social status certificate.
Allowing the appeal, the Court
B
HELD: 1.1 Three things that need to be established
by a person who claims to be a beneficiary of the caste
certificate are (i) there must be absolutely clear cut
proof that he belongs to the caste that has been
c .recognised by the Constitution (Scheduled Castes)
Order, 1950; (ii) there has been reconversion to the
original religion to which the parents and earlier
generations had belonged; and (iii) there has to be
evidence establishing the acceptance by the
D community. Each aspect is very significant, and if one
is not substantiated, the recognition would not be
possible. [Para 34] [278-D-E]
1.2 If a person who is born to Christian parents who
E had converted·to Christianity from the Scheduled Caste
Hindu·can avail the benefit of the caste certificate after
his embracing Hinduism subject to other qualifications,
there cannot be any soundness of logic that he cannot
avail the similar benefit because his grandparents were
F converted and he was born to the parents who were
Christians. They must have belonged to that caste and
after conversion the community has accepted. Thus, the
reasoning as ascribed by the Scrutiny Committee as
well as by the High Court is unacceptable. [Para 35]
G [278-F-G; 279-A]
•
The Principal Guntur Medical College, Guntur & Ors.
v. Y. Mohan Rao (1976) 3 SCC 411: 1976 (3) SCR 1046-
followed.
H
S. Anbalagan v. B. Devarajan and others (1984) 2 SCC
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 245
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT.
112: 1984 (1) SCR 973 - relied on. A
1.3 The first principle in S. Swvigaradoss's case
that a court can look into the Notification by the
President and the act of the Parliament under the
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Order B
(Amendment) Act, 1976 and the schedule appended
thereto for the limited purpose to find whether the
castes, races or tribes are parts or groups within the
caste, races or tribes, especially scheduled castes for
the purpose of Constitution, and it is because what has c
been included or excluded therein are conclusive, is
concurred with. [Para 42] [284-C-D]
S. Swvigaradoss v. Zonal Manager; F.C.I. (1996) 3 SCC
100: 1996 (1) SCR 995 - relied on.
D
1.4 As far as the second principle in S.
Swvigaradoss's case that a person born to Christian
parents, who initially belonged to the Scheduled Caste,
even after his reconversion cannot claim to be a
Scheduled Caste, it is essential to note that the E
authorities of larger Bench in Y. Mohan Rao case,
Kai/ash Sonkar case and S. Anbalagan case were not
brought to the notice of the Court. lrrefragably, the
second principle runs contrary to the proposition laid F
down in the Constitution Bench in Y. Mohan Rao's case
and the decisions rendered by the three-Judge Bench.
When a binding precedent is not taken note of ,and the
judgment is rendered in ignorance or forgetfulness of
the binding authority, the concept of per incuria comes G
into play. Tested on the said principles, the judgment
in S. Swvigaradoss case, as far as the second principle
is concerned, is per incuriam. [Para 42, 43, 44] [284-D-
G; 286-8]
S. Swvigaradoss v. Zonal Manager; F.C.I. (1996) 3 SCC H
246 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A 100: 1996 (1) SCR 995 - per incuriam.
1.5 As far as marriage is concerned, that should not
have been considered as the central and seminal facet
to deny the benefit. When the community has accepted
s and the community, despite the marriage, has not ex-
communicated or expelled, the same would not be a
disqualification. The appellant got married to a Christian
lady and that ·has been held against him. It has also
been opined that he could not produce any evidence
C to show that he has been accepted by the community
for leading the life of a Hindu. As far as the marriage
and leading of Hindu life are concerned, it really cannot
.be allowed to make any difference. The community
which is a recognised organisation by the State
D Government, has granted the certificate in categorical
terms in favour of the appellant. It is the community
which has the final say as far as acceptance is
concerned, for it accepts the person, on reconversion,
and takes him within its fold. Therefore, the appellant
E after reconversion had come within the fold of the
community and thereby became a member of the
scheduled ca~te. Had the community expelled him the
matter would have been different. The acceptance is in
F continuum. Ergo, the reasonings ascribed by the
Scrutiny Committee which have been concurred with
by the High Court are wholly unsustainable. The
judgment and order of the High Court, findings of the·
Scrutiny Committee and the orders passed by the Sta~1
G Government and the second respondent are set aside,
The appellant to be reinstated in service forthwith with
all the benefits relating to seniority and his caste, and'
also be paid backwages upto 75% within eight weeks
from today. [Para 45, 46] (286-C-G]
H The Principal Guntur Medical College, Guntur & Ors.
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 247
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT.
v.y Mohan RRao (1976) 3 SCC 411; Kodikunnil Suresh A
@J. Monian v. N.S. Saji Kumar & Ors. (2011) 6 SCC 430:
2011 (7) SCR 640; C.M. Arumugam V. S. Rajgopal and
others (1976) 1 SCC 863: 1976 (3) SCR 82; Coopoosami
Chetty V. Duraisami Chetty ILR 33 Mad 57; Muthusami V.
Masilamani ILR 33 Mad 342; Mad l.J. 49; G. Michael V. S. B
Venkateswaran AIR 1952 Mad. 474; Kai/ash Sonkar V.
Maya Devi (1984) 2 SCC 91: 1984 (2) SCR 176 ;
Administrator-General of Madras v. Anandachari ILR 9 Mad
342; Gurusami Nadar v. lrulappa Konar AIR 1934 Mad 630;
Rajagopal v. Armugam (1969) 1 SCR 254; Perumal Nadar C
v. Ponnuswami (1971) 1 SCR 49; Vermani v. Vermani AIR
1943 Lah 51: 205 IC 290; Chatturbhuj Vithaldas Jasani v.
Moreshwar Parashram 1954 SCR 817; Puneet Rai v.
D{nesh Chaudhary (2003) 8 SCC 204: 2003 (2) Suppl. D
SCR 743; State of Kera/a & Anr. v. Chandramohanan (2004)
3 SCC 429: 2004 (1) SCR 1155; Nityanand Sharma v.
State of Bihar (1996) 3 SCC 576: 1996 (2) SCR 1; N.E.
Horo v. Jahanara Jaipal Singh (1972) 1 SCC 771: 1972 (3)
SCR 361 ; State of M.P. and Another v. Ram Kishna E
Balothia and Another (1995) 3 SCC 221: 1995 (1) SCR
897; B. Basavalingappa v. D. Munichinnappa AIR 1965 SC
1269: 1965 SCR 316; Bhaiyalal v. Harikishan Singh AIR
1965 SC 1557: 1~65 SCR 877: Srish Kumar Choudury
v. State of Tripura (1990) Supp.sec 220: 1990 SCR 576; F
Kumari Madhuri P,atel v. Addi. Commissioner, Tribal
Development (1994) 6 SCC 241: 1994 (3) Suppl. SCR
50; A.R. Antu/ay v. R.S. Nayak (1988) 2 SCC 602: 1988
(1) Suppl. SCR 1; Union of/ndia and Others v. R.P. Singh
(2-014) 7 SCC 340 - referred to. G
Social Impact of Conversion by Y. Antony Raj; The
Dalits Christians: A History by John C. B. Webster -
referred to.
H
248 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A Case Law Reference
(1976) 3 sec 411 referred to Para 6
2011 (7) SCR 640 referred to Para 6
B 1976 (3) SCR 82 referred to Para 9
ILR 33 Mad 57 referred to Para 9
ILR 33 Mad 342 referred to Para 9
c AIR 1952 Mad. 474 referred to Para 9
1984 (2) SCR 176 referred to Para 14
ILR 9 Mad 342 referred to Para 18
D
AIR 1934 Mad 630 referred to Para 18
(1969) 1 SCR 254 referred to Para 18
(1971) 1 SCR 49 referred to Para 18
E
AIR 1943 Lah 51 referred to Para 18
1954 SCR 817 referred to Para 18
2003(2) Suppl. SCR 743 referred to Para 19
F
2004 (1) SCR 1155 referred to Para 20
1996 (2) SCR 1 referred to Para 20
1972 (3) SCR 361 referred to Para 20
G
1995 (1) SCR 897 referred to Para 31
1976 (3) SCR 1046 followed. Para 32, 33
1984 (1) SCR 973 relied on. Para 33,35
H
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 249
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT.
1996 (1) SCR 995 relied on. Para 42 A
1996 (1) SCR 995 per incuriam Para 43
1965 SCR 316 referred to Para 41
1965 SCR 877 referred to Para 41 · B
1990 SCR 576 referred to Para 41
1994 (3) Suppl. SCR 50 referred to Para 41
1988 (1) Suppl.SCR 1 referred to Para 43 c
(2014) 1 sec 340 referred to Para 44
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No.
7065 of 2008. D
From the Judgment and Order dated 09.08.2006 in R.
P. No. 503 of 2006 and order dated 10.03.2006 in M. F. A.
No. 55 of 2006 of the High Court of Kerala at Ernakularh.
Shekhar Naphade, Jayakrishnan, John Mathew for the E
Appellant.
Liz Mathew, M. F. Philip, Shriya Raj Chauhan, R.
Sathish, G. Prakash for the Respondents.
F
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
DIPAK MISRA, J. 1. In this appeal, by special leave,
the assail is to the judgment and order dated 1Oth March,
2006 passed by the Division Bench of the High Court of G
Kerala in M.F.A. No. 55 of 2006 wherein the High Court has
accepted the report of the Scrutiny Committee constituted
under the Kerala (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes)
Regulation of Issue of Community Certificates Act, 1996 (for
short "the Act") wherein the caste certificate granted in H
250 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015) 3 S.C.R.
A favour of K.P.' Manu, the appellant herein, had been
cancelled.
2. The facts giving rise to the present appeal are that
one Shri S. Sreekumar Menon invoked the jurisdiction of
B ~the Scrutiny Committee under Section 11 (3) of the Act
challenging the grant of caste certificate, namely, Hindu
Pulaya to the appellant on the ground that the said
certificate had been obtained by him on misrepresentation,
and that apart the concerned authority had issued the caste
C certificate in total transgression of law. The Committee
conducted an enquiry and eventually by its order dated 4th
February, 2006 had returned a finding that the appellant was
erroneously issued a caste certificate inasmuch as he was
not of Hindu ~>rigin and hence, ' could not have been
D conferred the benefit of the caste status. It is not in dispute
that the great grandfather of the appellant belonged to
Hindu Pulaya Community. His son Chothi embraced
Christianity and accepted a n.ew name, that is, Varghese
who married Mariam who originally belonged to Hindu
E ~ Ezhava community and later on converted to Christianity.
In the wedlock three sons, namely, Varghese, Yohannan
and Paulose were born. The father of the appellant,
Paulose, got married to Kunjamma who was a Christian.
F The appellant who was born on 03.01.1960 sometime in
the year 1984 at the age of 24 converted himse!f to Hindu
religion and changed his name to that of K.P. Manu. On
the basis of the conversion he applied for a caste certificate
to Akhila Bharata Ayyappa Seva Sangham. Be it stated,
G the appellant after conversion had obtained a certificate
from the concer.ned community on 5th February, 1984.
Eventually, the Tehsildar who was authorised to issue the
caste certificate had issued the necessary caste certificate.
I
3. On the basis of the complaint made, the Scrutiny
H·
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 251
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.)
Committee embarked upon an enquiry and recorded a A
finding holding, inter alia, that the appellant does not belong
to that caste. The report of the Scrutiny Committee appears
to have been influenced by two aspects, namely, that the
appellant was born to Christian parents, whose
grandparents had embraced Christianity and second, there ff
is no material brought on record to show that the appellant
after conversion has been following the traditions and
customs of the community. To arrive at the second
conclusion, emphasis has been laid on the fact that the
appellant after conversion, had married a Christian lady. C
4. On the basis of the aforesaid report of the Scrutiny
Committee, the State Government took action and directed
the employer of the appellant, respondent No. 2 herein, to
remove him from service and recover a sum of Rs.15 lakhs D
towards the salary paid to him. The said report of the
Committee and the order in sequitur having the base on
the report were the·subject matter of challenge before the
High Court in appeal.
E
5. On a perusal of the order passed by the High Court
it 'is perceptible that it has affirmed the findings of the
Committee on the basis that the paternal as well as
maternal grandfather of the appellant belonged to Christian
community and professed Christian faith; that the parents F
of the appellant were born as Christians and they continued
to profess Christianity; that the appellant also was born as
a Christian; that there is no caste by name 'Pulaya convert';
. that neither the state government nor the revenue officials
have the power to effect any alteration in the caste name G
contrary to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950
issued under the authority of the Constitution of India; that
the appellant cannot claim the caste status of Pulaya merely
on the ground that he had embraced Hinduism at the age H
252 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A of 24; that his claim that he should be treated as, one
belonging to scheduled caste community has been rightly
rejected by the Committee after considering all the relevant
facts and the law on the subject; and that neither the
appellant nor his parents had enjoyed the caste status of
B Pulaya. On the aforesaid basis, the High Court opined that
by embracing Hinduism at the age of 24, the appellant who
was born to Christian parents and professed Christian faith
is not entitled to claim that he is "Hindu-Pulaya." In the
ultimate result, the writ petition was dismissed.
c
6. Calling in question the legal propriety of the aforesaid
order, it is submitted by Mr. Naphade, learned senior
counsel for the appellant that the High Court has fallen into
serious error in its understanding of the ratio laid down by
D the Constitution Bench in the case of The Principal Guntur
Medical College, Guntur & Ors. v. Y. Mohan Rao 1,
inasmuch as it has ruled that benefit available to a
Scheduled Caste can only be made available to a person,
if his parents were converted to Christianity and he has
E been reconverted and further satisfies other conditions like
following th+ customs and traditions of the Caste after
reconversio1 but would not be applicable to a person if his
"grandparents had converted to Christianity. Learned senior
F counsel wo~ld submit that the finding of the Scrutiny
Committee dbes not deserve acceptation inasmuch as the
expert agenc~ which has been constituted under Section 9
of the Act to Inquire into certain aspects though has given
a categoricallfinding that the appellant had produced the
G requisite certi~cate, yet has fallaciously concluded that after
conversion h19 has not been following the traditions of
Christian relig1jon, for he has entered into wedlock with a
Christian wom~n.I
Learned senior counsel has also placed
H 1 (1976) 3 sec 4!1
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 253
VERiFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.)
reliance on a two-Judge Bench decision in Kodikunnil A
Suresh @J. Monian v. N.S. Saji Kumar & Ors. 2 .
7. Resisting the submissions canvassed by Mr.
Naphade, learned senior counsel for the appellant, Ms. Liz
Mathew, learned counsel for the respondent-State submitted B
that the reasoning of High Court cannot be faulted inasmuch
as the Constitution Bench does not lay down that a person
born as a Christian whose grandparents had embraced
Christianity can, on reconversion, come back to the stream
of. his/her original caste on acceptance by the community, C
and further the principle stated therein should not be
stretched to. cover that arena. That apart, submits she, the
onus is on the appellant to adduce proof in respect of the
fact that after conversion he has been following the Hindu
rites and customs that is meant for the caste and in the case D
at hand the said burden has not been discharged.
8. As we perceive, the controversy fundamentally has
three arenas, namely, (1) whether on conversion and at
what stage a person born to Christian parents can, after E
reconversion to the. Hindu religion, be eligible to claim the
benefit of his original caste; (ii) whether after his eligibility
is accepted and his original community on a collective basis
takes him within its fold, he still can be denied the benefit;
and (iii) that who should be the authority to opine that he F
has been following the traditions and customs of a particular
caste or not. We have enumerated the basic tests and in
course of our discussion, we shall delve into certain ancillary
issues regard being had to the area of analysis.
G
9. To appreciate the questions that we have formulated,
it is necessary to refer to the authorities in chronology. A
2 (2011) e sec 430 H
SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A three-Judge Bench in C.M. Arumugam II. S. Rajgopal and
others3, while dealing with the concept of caste, referred
to the pronouncements in Coopoosami Chetty \I.
Duraisami Chetty', Muthusami II. Masilamani5 and G
Michael II. S. Venkateswaran 6 and opined thus:
B
"It is no doybt true, and there we agree with the Madras
High Court in G Michael case that the general rule is
that conversion operates as an expulsion from the
caste, or, in other words, the convert ceases to have
C any caste, because caste is predominantly a feature
of Hindu society and ordinarily a person who ceases
to be a Hindu would not be regarded by the other
members of the caste as belonging to their fold. /But
ultimately it must depend on the structure of the caste
D and its rules and regulations whether a person would
cease to belong to the caste on his abjuring Hinduism.
If the structure of the caste is such that its members
must necessarily belong to Hindu religion. a member.
who ceases to be a Hindu. would go out of the caste.
E because no non-Hindu {;an be in the caste according
to its rules and regulations. Where. on the other hand.
having regard to its structure. as it has evolved over
the years. a' caste may consist not only of persons
professing Hindu religion but also persons professing
F
some other religion as well. conversion from Hinduism
to that other religion may not involve loss of caste.
because even persons professihg such other religion
can be members of the C:aste. This might happen where
G
3 (1976) 1 sec 863
4 ILR 33 Mad 57
5 ILR 33 Mad 342; Mad l.J. 49
H 6 AIR 1952 Mad. 474
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 255
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.)
caste is based on economic or occupational A
characteristics and not on religious identity or the
cohesion of the caste as a social group is so strong
that conversion into another religion does not operate
to snap the bond between the convert and the social
group. This is indeed not an infrequent phenomenon B
in South India where. in some of the castes. even after
conversion to Christianity. a person is regarded as
continuing to belong to the 1;-aste. When an argument
was. advanced before the Madras High Court in G.
Michael case C
"that there were several cases in which a member
of one of the lower castes who has been converted
to Christianity has continued not only to consider
himself as still being a member of the caste, but has D
also been considered so by other members of the
caste who had not been converted",
Rajamannar, C.J., who, it can safely be presumed, was
familiar with the customs and practices prevalent in E
South India, accepted the position "that instances can
be found in which in spite of conversion the caste
distinctions might continue", though he treated them as
exceptions to the general rule."
F
[Emphasis supplied]
10. Thereafter, the Court referred to number of
authorities of various High Courts and ruled that it cannot
be laid down as an absolute rule uniformly applicable in all G
cases that whenever a member of caste is converted from
Hinduism to Christianity, he loses his membership of the
caste. It is true that ordinarily on conversion to Christianity,
he would cease to be a member of the caste, but that is
not an invariable rule, and it would depend on the structure H
256 SUPREME·COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A of the caste and its rules and regulations. The Court
referred to certain castes, particularly in South India, where
this consequence could not follow by conversion since such
castes comprise both Hindus and Christians. Eventually,
the Court opined that:
B
"There is no reason ·either on principle or on authority
which should compel us to disregard this view which
has prevailed for almost a century and lay down a
different rule on the subject. If a person who has
c embraced ·another religion can be reconverted to
Hinduism, -there is no rational principle why he should
not be able ·to come back to his caste, if the other
members of the caste are prepared to readmit him as
a member. It stands to reason that he should be able
D to come back to the fold to which he once belonged,
provided of course the community is willing to take him
within the fold. It is the orthodox Hindu society still
dominated to a large extent, particularly in rural areas,
by medievalistic outlook and status-oriented approach
·E which attaches social and economic disabilities to a
'
person belonging to a scheduled caste and that is why
certain favoured treatment is given to him by the
Constitution. Once such a person ceases to be a Hindu
and becon:ies a Christian, the social and economic
F
. disabilities arising because of Hindu religion cease and
hence it is no longer necessary to give him protection
and for this reason he is deemed not to belong to a
scheduled caste. But when he is reconverted to
G Hinduism, the social and economic disabilities once
again revive and become attached to him because
these are disabilities inflicted by Hinduism. A Mahar or
a Koli or a Mala would not be recognised as anything
but a Mahar or a Koli or a Mala after reconversion to
H Hinduism and he would suffer from the same social and
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 257
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
economic disabilities from which he suffered before he A
was converted to another religion. It is. therefore.
obvious that the object and purpose of the Constitution
(Scheduled Castes) Order. 1950 would be advanced
rather than retarded by taking the view that on
reconversion to Hinduism. a person can once again B
become a member of the scheduled caste to which he
belonged prior to his conversion."
(Emphasis added)
c
11. The aforesaid pronouncement has to be understood
from constitutional and social perspective as the Court has
viewed that there is no rational principle why should a
person, who has embraced another religion should not be
able to come back to his caste, and further the object and o
purpose of.the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950
would be advanced if, on reconversion, to his original
religion, he would become a member of his original caste
and not suffer from the same social and economic
disabilities. E
12. Before the Constitution Bench, in Y. Mohan Rao
(supra), the question arose whether a person whose parents
belong to a scheduled caste before their conversion to
Christianity can, on conversion or re-conversion to F
Hinduism, be regarded as a member of the Scheduled
Caste so as to be eligible for the benefit of reservation of
seats for scheduled castes in the matter of admission to a
medical college. The parents of the respondent therein
originally professed Hindu religion and belonged to Madiga G
caste which is admittedly a caste deemed to be a scheduled
caste in the State of Andhra Pradesh as specified in Part I
of the schedule to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes)
Order, 1950. The respondent was born after the conversion,
that is to say, he was born of Christian parents and he had H
258 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A got himself converted to Hinduism on September 20, 1973
from Andhra Pradesh Arunchatiya Sangham stating that he
had renounced Christianity and embraced Hinduism after
going through Suddhi ceremony and he was thereafter
received back into Madiga caste of Hindu fold. On the
B strength of the certificate, he had applied for admission in
respect of the reserved seat to Guntur Medical College.
Initially he was provisionally selected for admission, but his
selection was cancelled as he was not Hindu by birth. On
a writ petition being filed, the High Court referred to the
C Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and opined
that a candidate, in order to be eligible for a seat reserved
for scheduled caste, need not belong to a scheduled caste
by birth and when such a stipulation is made by the
Government Notification, it has travelled beyond the 1950
0
order. The view expressed by the learned Single Judge
in the writ petition was accepted by the Division Benc;:h. It
was contended by the State before the larger Bench that
when the respondent was converted to Hinduism, he did
E ' not automatically become a member of the Madiga caste,
but it was open to the members of the Madiga caste to
accept him within their fold and it was only if he was so
accepted, that he could have claimed to have become a
member of the said caste. The Constitution Bench referred
F to the three-Judge Bench in C.M. Arumugam (supra) and
posed the issue in the following manner:
"Now, before we proceed to consider this contention,
it is necessary to point out that there is no absolute rule
G applicable in all cases that whenever a member of a
caste is converted from Hinduism to Christianity, he
loses his membership of the caste. This question has
been considered by this Court in C. M. Arumugam v.
S. Rajgopal and it has been pointed out there that
H ordinarily it is true that on conversion to Christianity, a
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 259
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.)
person would cease to be a member of the caste to A
which he belongs, but that is not an invariable rule. It
would depend o,n the structure of the caste and its rules
and regulations. There are some castes, particularly
in South India, where this consequence does not follow
on conversion, since such castes comprise both Hindus B
and Christians. Whether Madiga is a caste which falls
within this category is a debatable question. The
contention of the respondent in his writ petition was that
there are both Hindus and Christians in Madiga caste
and even after conversion to Christianity, his parents C
continued to belong to Madiga caste and he was,
therefore, a member of Madiga caste right from the time
of his birth. It is not necessary for the purpose of the
present appeal to decide this question. We may
0
assume that, on conversion to Christianity, the parents
of the respondent lost their membership of Madiga
caste and that the respondent was, therefore, not a
Madiga by birth. The question is: could the respondent
become a member of Madiga caste on conversion to E
Hinduism? That is a question on which considerable
light is thrown by the decision of this Court in C.M.
Arumugam (supra)."
Thereafter, the Court accepting the principle stated in F
C.M. Arumugam (supra) proceeded to opine that the
reasoning given in the said judgment has to be accepted
and made applicable to i:I case where the parents of a
person are converted from Hinduism to Christianity and he
is born after their conversion and has subsequently G
embraced Hinduism. In addition to the conversion, he has
to be accepted by the members of the caste and is taken
as a member within 'its fold. In that context, the Court ruled
thus:
"The reasoning on which this decision proceeded is H
260 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2015) 3 S.C.R.
A equally applicable in a case where the parents of. a
person are converted from Hinduism to Christianity and
he is born after their conversion and on his
subsequently embracing Hinduism, the members of the
caste to which the parents belonged prior to their
B conversion accept him as a member within the fold. It
is for the members of the caste to decide whether or
not to admit a person within the caste. Since the caste
is a social combination of persons governed by its rules
and regulations. it may. if its rules and regulations so
c provide. admit a new member just as it may expel an
existing member. The only requirement for admission
of a person as a member of the caste is the acceptance
of the person by the other members of the caste. for.
as pointed out by Kirshnaswami Ayyangar. J., in
D
Durgaprasada Rao v. Sudarsanaswam17, "in matters
affecting the well being or composition of a caste. the
caste itself is the supreme judge". (emphasis supplied).
It will, therefore, be seen that on conversion to
E Hinduism, a person born of Christian converts would
not become a member of the caste to which his parents
belonged prior to their conversion to Christianity,
automatically or as a matter of cours13, but he would
become such member, if the other members of the
F caste accept him as a member and admit him within
the fold."
(underlining is ours]
13. From the. aforesaid paragraph, it is plain as day ttiat
G if the parents of a person are converted from Hinduism to
Christianity and he is born after the conversion and
embraces Hinduism and the members of the caste accept
H 7 AIR 1940 Mad 513: ILR 1940 Mad 653: (1940) 1 MLJ 800
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 261
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
him, he comes within the fold of the caste. A
14. Mr. Naphade, learned senior counsel for the
appellant would contend that the reasoning that has been
made applicable to the parents, there is no reason or
ju_stification for not applying the said principle to the B
grandparents. Learned counsel for the State, per contra,
would contend that the Constitution Bench has not laid
down any principle as regards the grandparents and the
same is with the avowed purpose as it cannot cover several
generations. In this regard, we may profitably refer to a C
three-Judge Bench decision in Kailash Sankar II. Maya
Devi'. In the said case, the Court posed the issue thus:
"The knotty and difficult, puzzling and intricate issue
with which we are faced is, to put it shortly, "what D
happens if a member of a scheduled caste or tribe
leaves his present fold (Hinduism) and embraces
Christianity or Islam or any other religion" - does this
amount to a complete loss of the original caste to which
he belonged for ever and, if so, if he or his children E
choose to abjure the new religion and get reconverted
to the old religion after performing the necessary rites
and ceremonies, could the original caste revive? The
serious question posed here arose and has formed the
subject-matter of a.large catena of decisions starting F
from the year 1861, traversing a period of about a
century and a half, and culminating in a decision of this
Court in the case of G.M. Arumugam v. S. Rajagopal."
G
15. The Court, after referring to several decisions
including the decision in C.M. Arumugam (supra), has held
thus:
a (1984) 2 sec 91 H
262 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A "31. In our opinion, the main test should be a genuine
intention of.the reconvert to abjure his new religion and
completely dissociate himself from it. We inust hasten
to add here that this does not mean that the
reconversion should be only a ruse or a pretext or a
B cover to gain mundane worldly benefits so that the
reconversion becomes merely a show for achieving a
particular purpose whereas the real intention may be
shrouded in mystery. The reconvert must exhibit a clear
and genuine intention to go back to his old fold and
c adopt the customs and practices of the said fold without
any protest from members of his erstwhile caste. In
order to judge this factor, it is not necessary that there
should be a direct or conclusive proof of the expression
of the views of the community of the erstwhile caste
D
and it would be s_ufficient compliance of this condition
if no exception or protest is lodged by the community
members, in which case the caste would revive on the
reconversion' of the person to his old religion.
E .· 32. Another aspect which one must not forget is that
when a child is born neither has he any religion nor is
he capable-of choosing one until he reaches the age
of discretion and acquires proper understanding of the
situation. Hence, the mere fact that the parents of a
F
child, who were Christians, would in ordinary course get
the usual baptism certificate and perform other
ceremonies without the child knowing what is being
done but after the child has grown up and becomes
G fully mature and able to decide his future, he ought not
to be bound by what his parents may h_ave done.
Therefore,' in such cases, it is the intention of the
convertee which would determine the revival of the
caste. If by his clear and conclusive conduct the person
H reconverts to his old faith and abjures the new religion
•
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 263
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
in unequivocal terms, his caste automatically revives." A
16. What is important for our purpose is paragraph 34
of the said decision, which is as follows:
"In our opinion, when a person is converted to
8
Christianity or some other religion the original caste
remains under eclipse and as soon as during his/her
lifetime the person is reconverted to the original religion
the eclipse disappears and the caste automatically
revives. Whether or not the revival of the caste depends c
on the will and discretion of the members of the
community of the caste is a question on which we
refrain from giving any opinion because in the instant
case there is overwhelming evidence to show that the
respondent was accepted by the community of her o
original Katia caste. Even so, if the fact of the
acceptance by the members of the community is made
a condition p_recedent to the revival of the caste, it
would lead to grave consequences and unnecessary
exploitation, sometimes motivated by political E
considerations. Of course, if apart from the oral views
of the community there is any recognised documentary
proof of a custom or code of conduct or rule of law
binding on a particular caste, .it may be necessary to
insist on the consent of the members of the community, F
otherwise in normal circumstances the case would
revive by applying the principles of doctrine of eclipse.
We might pause here to add a rider to what we have
said i.e. whether it appears that the person reconverted
to the old religion had been converted to Christianity G
since several generations. it may be difficult to apply
the doctrine of eclipse to the revival of caste. However,
that question "does not arise here."
[Emphasis added] H
•
264 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A 17. Learned counsel for the State has laid immense
emphasis on the last part of the aforequoted paragraph
wherein the Court has observed that in a case where the
person reconverted to the old religion had been converted
to Christianity since several generations, it may be difficult
B to apply the do.ctrine of eclipse to the relevant caste. Mr.
Naphade, learned senior counsel would contend that the
three-Judge Bench has not referred to the Constitution
Bench decision in Y. Mohan Rao (supra) and had that been
adverted to, in all possibility, the Court could have held if it
C could travel to the immediate generation, there was no
warrant or justification not to take in its fold the
grandparents. His further submission is in the case at hand,
it is not a case of several generations, but only the
grandparents.
0
18.ln this context, a reference may be made to the
authority in S. Anbalagan v. B. Devarajan and others•.
In the said case, the Court dwelt upon the legal position in
regard to the caste, their status on conversion, or
E reconversion to Hinduism. After referring to various
authorities, namely, Administrator-General of Madras v.
Anandachari10 ,· Muthusami Muda/iar v. Masilamani
(supra), Gurusami Nadarv. lrulappa Konar", Rajagopal
F v. Armugam12 , Perumal Nadar v. Ponnuswam1, 3 , Vermani
v. Vermanr•, Durgaprasada Rao (supra) and Chatturbhuj
9 (1984) 2 sec 112
G 10 ILR 9 Mad 342
11 1934 MLJ 389; AIR 1934 Mad 630
12 (1969) 1 SCR 254
13 (1971) 1 SCR 49
H. 14AIR 1943 Lah 51.: 205 IC 290
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 265
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
Vithaldas Jasani v. Moreshwar Parashram' 5 , came to A
hold as follows:
"These precedents, particularly those from South India,
clearly establish that no particular ceremony is prescribed
for reconversion to Hinduism of a person who had earlier B
embraced another religion. Unle.ss the practice of the caste
makes it necessary, no expiatory rites n_eed be performed
and, ordinarily, he· regains his caste unless the community
does not accept him. In fact, it may not be accurate to say
that he regains his ·caste: it may be more accurate to say C
that he never lost his caste in the first instance when he
embraced another religion. The practice of caste however
irrational it may appear to our reason and however
repugnant it may appear to our moral and social sense, is ..
so deep-rooted in the Indian people that its mark does not D
seem to disappear on conversion to a different religion . .!f
it disappears, it disappears only to reappear on
reconversion. The mark of caste does not seem to really
disappear even after some generations after conversion. In
Andhra Pradesh and in Tamil Nadu, there are several E
thousands of Christian families whose forefathers became
Christians and w.ho, though they profess the Christian
religion, nonetheless observe the practice of caste. There
are Christian Reddies, Christian Kammas, Christian Nadars, F
Christian Adi Andhras, Christian Adi Dravidas and so on.
The practice of their caste is so rigorous that there are
intermarriages with Hindus of the same caste but not with
Christians of another caste. Now, if such a Christian
becomes a Hindu, surely he will revert to his original caste, G
if he had lost it at all. In fact this process goes on
continuously in India and generation by generation lost
sheep appear to return to the caste-fold and are once again
15 1954 SCR 817 H
266 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A assimilated in that fold. This appears to be particularly so·
in the case of members of the Scheduled Castes. who
embrace other religions in their guest for liberation. but
return to their old religion on finding that their disabilities
have clung to them with great tenacitv. We do not think that
B any different principle will apply to the case of conversion
to Hinduism of a person whose forefathers had abandoned
Hinduism and embraced another religion from ihe principle
applicable to the case of recoriversion to Hinduism of a
person who himself had abandoned Hinduism and
C embraced another religion."
[Underlining is ours]
Thus, in the aforesaid case the Court has ruled that
o there is no reason that any different principle will apply to
'a person whose forefathers had abandoned Hinduism.
19. In Puneet Rai v. Dinesh Chalidhary16 , S.B. Sinha,
J. in his concurring opinion has observed thus:
E "30. In Caste and the Law in India by Justice S.B. Wad
at p. 30 under the heading "Sociological Implications'',
it is stated:
"Traditionally, a person belongs to a caste in which
F he is born. The caste of the parents determines his
caste but in case of reconversion a person has the
liberty to re.nounce his casteless status and voluntarily
ac;cept his original caste. His caste status at birth is
not immutable. Change of religion does not
G necessarily mean loss of caste. If the original caste
does not positively disapprove, the acceptance of the
caste can be presumed. Such acceptance can also
H 1s c2003) a sec 204
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 267
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
be presumed if he is elected by a majority to a A
reserved seat. Although it appears that some dent is
made in the classical concept of caste, it may be
noticed that the principle that caste is created by birth
is not dethroned. There is also a judicial recognition
of caste autonomy including the right to outcaste a B
person."
31. If he is considered to be a member of the
Scheduled Caste, he has to be accepted by the
community." C
20. In State o/ Kera/a & Anr. v. Chandramohanan' 7 ,
the appellant had lodged a complaint against the
respondent alleging that he had taken one eight year old
girl to the classroom in Pattambi Government U.P. School o
with an intent to dishonour and outrage her modesty. The
said complaint was treated as first information report under
Section 509 of the l.P.C. The Investigating Officer, during
investigation, came to know that the. father of the victim
belonged to Mala Aryan community, which is considered to E
be a Scheduled Tribe in the State of Kerala and lodged
another FIR charging the respondent under Section 3(1 )(xi)
of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention
of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (for short, 'the 1989 Act') as well as
under Section 509 of the l.P.C. Being aggrieved by the said F
order, the respondent filed a petition under Section 482 of
the Code of Criminal Procedure, for quashing of the charges
framed under Section 3(1)(xi) of the 1989 Act and the High
Court took the view that since the victim's parents had
embraced Christianity, the victim had ceased to be a G
member of the Scheduled Tribe and accordingly quashed
th,e charges in respect of the said offences. The three-
11 (2004) 3 sec 429 H
268 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A Judge Bench referred to Article 342 of the Constitution, the
object of the said Article which is meant to provide right for
the purpose of grant of protection to the Scheduled Tribes
having regard to the economic and educational
backwardness wherefrom. they suffer, the Constitution
B ·(Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 made in terms of the
aforesaid provisions, The Customary Laws of Muda and
Oraon by Dr. Jai Prakash Gupta, Tribal India: A Profile in
Indian Ethnology by K.L. Bhowmik, the decisions in
Nityanand Sharma v. State of Bihar18 , Puneet Rai (supra),
C N.E. Horo v. Jahanara Jaipal Singh 19 and thereafter held
that:-
"Before a person can be brought within the purview of
the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, he
D must belong to a tribe. A person for the purpose of
obtaining the benefits of the Presidential Order must
fulfil the condition of being a member of a tribe and
continue to be a member of the tribe. If by reason of
conversion to a different religion a long time back, he/
E his ancestors have not been following the customs,
rituals and other traits, which are required to be followed
by the members of the tribe and even had not been
following the customary laws of succession, inheritance, ·
marriage etc. he may not be accepted to be a member
F
of a tribe. In this case, it has been contended that the
family of the victim had been converted about 200
· years back and in fact the father of the victim married
a woman belonging to a Roman Catholic, wherefrom
G he again became a Roman Catholic. The question,
therefore, which may have to be gone into is as to
whether the family continued to be a member of a
1a (1996) 3 sec 576
H , 19 (1972) 1 sec 771
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN; SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 269
VERIFICATION OF .COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.)
Scheduled Tribe or not. Such a question can be gone A
into only during trial."
21. After so holding, the Court referred to in extenso
the decision in C.M: Arumugam (supra) and came to rule
thus:- B
· "18. The aforementioned decision is, thus, also an
authority for the proposition that upon conversion, a
person may be governed by a different law than the
law governing the community to which he originally c
belonged but that would not mean that notwithstanding
such conversion, he may not continue to be a member
of the tribe.
19. Learned counsel for the appellant has drawn our
0
attention to the circulars issued by the State of Kerala
with a view to·show that the members of the tribes are
being treated in the same capacity despite conversion.
We are afraid that such circulars being not law within
the meaning of Article 13 of the Constitution of India, E
would be of no assistance.
20. We, therefore, are of the opinion that although as
a broad proposition of law it cannot be accepted that
merely by change of religion a person ceases to be a F
member of the Scheduled Tribe, but the question as
to whether he ceases to be a member thereof or not
must be determined by the appropriate court as such _
a question would depend upon the facts of each case.
In such a situation, it has to be established that a G
person who has embraced another religion is still
suffering from social disability and also following the
customs and traditions of the community, which he
earlier belonged to. Under such circumstances, we set
aside the order under appeal and remit the same to the H
270 SUPREME·COURT REPORTS (2015] 3 S.C.R.
A Sessions Court, Palakkad, to proceed in accordance
with law."
22. At this juncture, we are disposed to think that
reference to certain reports and articles would be profitable
B for the purpose of understanding the ground reality and
appreciate factual score in proper perspective. In the article,
namely, "Dalits in India" by James Massey, B.R. Ambedkar,
as is reflected from the said article, has devoted two long
essays on the subject under the title "Christianising the
C Untouchables 1' and "The Condition of the Convert".
Speaking about the general conditions of Christians Dalits,
Ambedkar had put a direct challenge by saying:
"It is necessary to bear in mind that Indian Christians
D are drawn chiefly from the Untouchables (Dalits) and,
to a much less extent from low ranking Shudra castes.
The social services of Missions must therefore be
judged in the light of the needs of these classes. What
are those needs? The services rendered by the
E Missions in the fields of education and medical relief
are beyond the ken of the Indian Christians. They go
mostly to benefit the high caste Hindu."
23. James Massey has analysed the reasons ascribed
F by Ambedkar by stating:-
"What has Ctiristianity achieved in the way of changing
the mentality of the convert? Has the Untouchable
convert risen to status of 'the touchables? Have the
G touchable and untouchable converts discarded caste?
Have they ceased to worship their old pagan gods and
to adhere to their old pagan superstitions? These are
far-reaching questions. They must be answered and
Christianity in India must stand or fall by the answers
H it gives to these questions."
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 271
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
24. James Massey, the learned author has referred to A
the observations of Karnataka Backward Classes
Commission, 1952. The relevant part is as follows:-
"A Scheduled Caste (man) might have made some
progress, or might have embraced Islam or Christianity, B
and thereby the disabilities, under which he suffered
as a result of untouchability, might have, to some
extent, disappeared. But the fact remains that such
castes, tribes and racial groups still continue to suffer
under other social, educational and economic C
handicaps and taboos."
25. Archbishop. George Zur, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to
India in his inaugural address to the Catholic Bishops
Conference of India, (CBCI) in the meeting held in Pune o
during December 1991, made the following observations:
"Though Catholics of the lower castes and tribes form
60 per cent of Church membership they have no place
in decision-making. Scheduled caste converts are E
treated as low caste not only by high caste Hindus but
by high caste Christians too. In rural areas they cannot
own or rent houses, however, well-placed they may be.
Separate places are marked out for them in the parish
churches and burial grounds. Inter-caste marriages are F
frowned upon. and caste tags are still appended to the
Christian names of high caste people. Casteism is
rampant among the clergy and the religious. Though
Dalit Christians make 65 per cent of the 10 million
Christians in the South, less than 4 per cent of the G
parishes are entrusted to Dalit priests. There are no
Dalits among 13 Catholic bishops of Tamil Nadu or
among the Vicars-general and rectors of seminaries
and directors of social assistance centres."
H
272 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A 26. Manda!" Commission report of the Backward
Classes Commission 1980, speaking about the Indian
Christians in Kerala had expressed thus:-
" .... Christians in Kera la are divided into various
B denominations on the basis of beliefs and rituals and
into various ethnic groups on the basis of their caste
background .... even after conversion, the lower caste
converts were continued to be treated as Harijans by
all sections of the society including the Syrian
c Christians, even though with conversion the former
ceased to be Harijans and untouchables ..... In the
presence of rich Syrian C~ristians, the Harijan
Christians· had to remove their head-dress while
speaking with their Syrian Christian masters. They--,--
D had to keep their mouth· closed with a hand ........ It
was found that the Syrian and Pulaya members of the
same Church conduct religious rituals separately in
separate buildings ... Thus lower caste converts to a
very egalitarian religion like Christianity, ever anxious
E to expand its membership, even after generations were
not able to efface the effect of their caste background."
27. A Church of South India Commission in 1964
investigating the grievances of Dalit Christians, whether
F they split off or remain with the Church of South India,
wrote:-
"First and foremost is the feeling that they are
· despised, not taken seriously, overlooked, humiliated
G or simply forgotten. They feel that again and again
affairs in the diocese are arranged as if they. did not
exist. Caste appellations are still occasionally used in
Church when they have been abandoned even by
Hindus. Backward class desires and claims seem
H again and again to be put on the waiting list, while
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 273
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
projects which they feel aim chiefly at the benefit of the A
Syrian community seem to get preferential
consideration. In appointments, in distribution of
charity, in pastoral care and in the attitude shown to
them, in disputes with the authorities, the treatment
they receive, when compared with that received by B
their Syrian brothers, suggests a lack of sympathy,
courtesy and respect."
28. Chinappa Commission Report (1990) states:-
c
"By and large, the Christian community in Karnataka
is an advanced community except for SC and ST
converts, whose position has not improved very much
for the better. Thanks to the all pervasive caste
system which· has penetrated the barriers of religion o
also, SC and pT converts to Christianity and their
descendants continue, to a great degree, to be victims
of the same social injustice to which the SCs and STs
are subjects".
E
29. Dr. Y. Antony Raj, the author of "Social Impact of
Conversion" comments:
''The mass conversion from Christianity to· Hinduism,
Islam and Buddhism is often explained as the F
frustration of the coverts to Christianity. Devadason
names the reason for such reconversion as
'disillusionment' among the CSCO. "Till recently" says
he, "the conversion to Christianity was considered an
attractive proposition. That trend has slowed down, if G
not stopped.Th.is was because of the disillusionment
among the Harijan converts, who discovered that they
had carried with them their caste stigma and that inter-
caste marriage and other contacts continued to be as
difficult as before." H
274 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A 30. As per the analysis made by John C.B. Webster,
in the book, "The Dalit Christians: A History'', in Chapter Ill
titled "The Politics of Numbers", Dr. Ambedkar, being aware
of the continuing problems of Dalit Christians had ruled out
conversion to Christianity. To quote the learned author:
B
"He was certainly aware of them. In what was probably
the most perceptive analysis of the Christian
community from this period, Ambedkar noted that
caste Hindus were the chief beneficiaries of Christian
c educational and medical work, that caste continued
within the churches, and that Dalits suffered from the
same disabilities after as before conversion to
Christianity. More importantly, Christianity failed the.
political test. For one thing, while Christianity may
D have inspired Dalit converts to change their social
attitudes, it had not inspired them to take practical
steps to redress the wrongs from which they suffered."
31. In this context, it will be fruitful to make a reference
E to the authority in State of M.P. and Another v. Ram
Kishna Balothia and Anothei2°. In the said case, the
·two-Judge Bench was called upon to deal with the validity
of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention
of Atrocities) Act, 1989, especially Section 18 that stipulates
F that Section 438 of the CrPC will not apply to the persons
committing an offence under the said Act. While upholding
the validity of the provisions and annulling the judgment of
the High Court of M.P., the learned Judges have referred
to the Statement of Objects and Reasons accompanying
G the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Bill, 1989
when it was introduced in the Parliament. To quote:
"It sets out the circumstances surrounding the
H 20 (1995) 3 sec 221
.
. ~·
..
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 275
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
enactment of the said Act and points to the evil which A
the statute sought to remedy. In the Statement of
Objects and Reasons it is stated:
"Despite various measures to improve the socio-
economic conditions of the Scheduled Castes and B
the Scheduled Tribes, they remain vulnerable. They
are denied number of civil rights. They are subjected
to various offences, indignities, humiliations and
harassment. They have, in several brutal incidents,
been deprived of their life and property. Serious C
crimes are committed against them for various
historical, social and economic reasons
2 .... When they assert their rights and resist
practices of untouch-ability against them or demand o
statutory minimum wages or refuse to do any
bonded and forced labour, the vested interests try to
cow them ·down and terrorise them. When the
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes try to
preserve their self-respect or honour of their women, E
they become irritants for the dominant and the
mighty. Occupation and cultivation of even the
Government allotted land by the Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes is resented and more often
these people become victims of attacks by the F
vested interests. Of late, there has been an increase
in the disturbing trend of commission of certain
atrocities like making the Scheduled Caste persons
eat inedible substances like human excreta and
attacks on and mass killings of helpless Scheduled G
Castes and Scheduled Tribes and rape of women
belonging. to the Scheduled Castes and the
Scheduled Tribes .... A special legislation to check
and deter crimes against them committed by non- H
276 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A Scheduled Castes and non-Scheduled Tribes has,
therefore, become necessary."
The above statement graphically describes the social
conditions which motivated the said legislation. It is
pointed out in the above Statement of Objects and
B
Reasons that when members of the Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes assert their rights and demand
statutory protection, vested interests try to cow them
down and terrorise them. In these circumstances, if
c anticipatory bail is not made available to persons who
commit such offences, such a denial cannot be
considered as unreasonable or violative of Article 14,
as these offences form a distinct class by themselves
and cannot be compared with other offences."
D
32. We have referred to the aforesaid materials and
the observations singularly for the purpose that there has
been detailed study to indicate the Scheduled Castes
persons belonging to Hindu religion, who had embraced
E Christianity with some kind of hope or aspiration, have
remained soci~lly, educationally and economically
backward. The Constitution Bench in Y. Mohan Rao
(supra) has clearly laid down that if a person born to
Christian parents, who, belonging to Scheduled Caste had
F , convertea themselves to Christianity, the said person on
reconversion to his religion and on acceptance by his
community with a further rider that he would practise the
customs and traditions of the caste, would be treated as
a member of the said Scheduled Caste and if the said
G caste, is one of the castes falling within the Constitution
(Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, then he will be treated as
a Scheduled Caste.
33. As we. understand the authority it does not lay
H down that it only would apply to the parents and exclude
K.P. MAN!J v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 277
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
the grandparents. At this stage, two decisions are required A
to be properly understood. In Kai/ash Sankar (supra), the
three-Judge Bench while applying the doctrine of eclipse
to the original caste and the principle of revival applying the
said doctrine, has observed whether to a situation where
the person reconverted to the old religion had been B
converted to Christianity since several generations, it may
be difficult to apply the doctrine of eclipse to the revival of
caste. The Court, by way of abundant caution, has also
proceeded to state that the question did not arise there.
That apart, it has not expressed any opinion. Therefore, it C
cannot be treated as a precedent for the purpose that it
would only encompass the previous generation. In S.
Anbalagan (supra) which we have referred to in extenso
earlier, has laid down that if the caste disappears, it
0
disappears only to reappear on reconversion and the mark
of caste does not seem to really disappear even after
some generations after conversion. As has been held
therein, the process i;;.oes on continuously in India and
generation by generation last sheep to return to their caste E
fold are once again assimilated to that fold. The three-
Judge Bench has commented that the members of the
scheduled castes who had embraced another religion in
their quest for liberation, but return to their old religion on
finding that their disabilities have clung to them with great F
tenacity; and thereafter stated that it does not think that
any different principle would apply to the case of
conversion to Hinduism of a person whose forefathers had
abandoned Hinduism and embraced another religion from
the principle applicable to the case of reconversion to G
Hinduism of a person who himself had abandoned
Hinduism and embraced another religion. This view, in our
considered opinion, is in consonance with the Constitution
Bench in Y. Mohan Rao (supra) and does not run counter
to it. One may raise a question how does one find out H
278 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015) 3 S.C.R.
A about the forefathers. There can be a false claim but that
would be the subject matter of inquiry. Therefore, the
principle of "definitive traceability" may be applied during
the inquiry and the onus shall be on the person who claims
the benefit after reconversion. To elaborate, he has to
B establish beyond a shadow of doubt that his forefathers
belonged to the scheduled caste that comes within the
Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 and he has
been reconverted and his community has accepted him
and taken him within its fold.
c
34. In our considered opinion, three things that need
, to be established by a person who claims to be a
beneficiary of the caste certificate are (i) there must be
absolutely clear cut proof that he belongs to the caste that
D has been recognised by the Constitution (Scheduled
Castes) Order, 1950; (ii) there has been reconversion to
the original religion to which the parents and earlier
generations had belonged; and (iii) there has to be
evidence establishing the acceptance by the community.
E Each aspect according to us is very significant, and if one
is not substanti~ted, the recognition would not be possible.
35. In the case at hand, as far as the first aspect is
concerned, as we have stated hereinbefore, there is no
F dispute. If a person who is born to Christian parents who
had converted to Christianity from the Scheduled Caste
. Hindu can avail the benefit of the caste certificate after his
embracing Hinduism subject to other qualifications, there
cannot be any soundness of logic that he cannot avail the
G similar benefit because his grandparents were converted
and he was born to the parents who were Christians. They
must have belonged to that caste and after conversion the
community has accepted. Our view is fortified by the
H authority in S. Anbalagan (supra). Thus, the reasoning as
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 279
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
ascribed by the Scrutiny Committee as well as by the High A
Court on this score is unacceptable.
36. As far as the community acceptance is concerned,
Mr. Naphade has drawn our attention to the enquiry report
submitted by the expert agency, conclusion of which reads B
thus:
"CONCLUSION
Thus, the anthropological study has revealed that the
claimant K.P. Manu's case father K.P. Paulose and his
c
mother Kunjamma belong to Christian Community of
Pulayan origin. The investigation has revealed they still
profess Christianity.
In the Government Circular No. 18421/E2/87 SCSTDD D
dated 15.12. 1987 it has been made clear that the
religious status of parents will not affect the caste status •
of nee-converts provided they become major and copy
of the said GO is marked here as Document-7. So the
E
claimant after becoming major embraced Hinduism and
revived his caste. The caste organisation to which he
belongs has also accepted his conversion. It has been
found that he -has a registered marriage with Sylamma
belonging to Christian community of Pulayan origin.
F
The claimant and his children do not follow Christian
religion."
37. The community certificate which was produCE;ld by
the appellant is as follows:
G
"AKHILA BHARTA AYYAPPA SEVA SANAGHOM
HEAD OFFICE - KOTTAYAM
At the request of Mr. K.P. JOHN and his family
residing in Kanayannur Taluk, Mulamthuruthy Village, H
280 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A Ward-VI, Kaniyamol House, the persons listed below
is converting today on behalf of Ayyappa Seva
Sangham from Christian Pulayan community to Hindu
Pulayan community, after performing Sudhi Karma
according to the Hindu rites and customs.
B
The new names adopted are mentioned
against the old names of the persons listed below:
Kottayam - 5/2/1984
c General Secretary
No. Old Name New Name Date of Birth Age
1. K.P. John K.P. Thomas 31.1.1960 23
D 2. K.P. Manu K.P. Babu 20.4.1968 15
For Akhila Bharata Ayyappa Seva Sangham
Sd/-
E General Secretary"
38. Be it stated here that the said "Sangham" has been
recognised as one of the agencies by the Government of
Kerala as a competent organisation to issue the community
F certificate. There is no doubt that the appellant had
converted himself and thereafter was accepted by the
community. He has been taken withi~ its fold.
39. At this juncture, certain findings recorded by the
G Scrutiny Committee require to be reproduced:
"The Committee examined the aspect whether the
aforementioned decisions can have any application to
the claimant's conversion to Hinduism in 1984. The
Committee noted that neither the claimant nor his
H
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 281
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
parents was born as Hindu and later converted to A
Christianity from Hinduism. In fact they are born as
Christians. Hence there is no element of re-conversion
in the claimant's case. Hence the question of reviving
caste status as Pulayan (SC) on the ground that some
of his ancestors were having Pulayan (SC) status does B
not arise. The claimant traces SC (Pulayan) status
from generations back despite the fact that his
ancestors in the descending generation, consistently
opted to renounce Pulayan caste status and Hindu
religious status by converting to Christianity. Ordinarily C
one gets his/her caste on the basis of his/her parents.
In other words, one shall be, on birth deemed to be
belonging to the caste of his/her parents. In the facts.
and circumstances of the claimant's case, the claimant
0
and his parents were devoid of any caste identity right
from their birth. It is significant to note that ten years
after his conversion to Hinduism, the claimant has
contracted marriage with a Christian lady, as per
Special Marriage Act. Hence, the Committee found that E
the claimant's case does not come under the ambit of
aforementioned verdicts."
The said report has been given the stamp of approval
by the High Court. In the impugned order, the Division F
Bench, after referring to the report, has held thus:
"The paternal· as well as maternal grand father of the
appellant belonged to Christian community and
professed Christian faith. Patents of the appellant were
born as Christians and they continued to profess G
Christianity. The appellant also was born as a Christian.
Annexure-1 Certificate shows that in the SSLC book he
is shown as a person belonging to Christian religion. As
rightly found by the respondent there is no caste by name H
282 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2015) 3 S.C.R.
A 'Pulaya convert'. Neither the state government nor the
revenue officials have the power to effect any alteration
in the caste name contrary to the Presidential Order
issued under the authority of the Constitution of India.
Appellant cannot claim the caste status of Pulayan
8 merely on the ground that he embraced Hinduism at
the age of 24. His claim that he should be treated as
one belonging to scheduled caste community has been
rightly rejected by the respondent after considering all
relevant facts and the law on the subject. Neither the
c appellant nor his parents had enjoyed the caste status
of Pulayan. Hence by embracing Hinduism at the age
of 24, the appellant who was born to Christian parents
and professed Christian faith is not entitled to claim that
he is Hindu-Pulaya."
D
40. The aforesaid reasoning is contrary to the decisions
of this Court and also to what we have stated hereinbefore.
As far as marriage is concerned, in our considered opinion,
· that should not have been considered as the central and
E seminal facet to deny the benefit. When the community has
accepted and the community, despite the marriage, has not
ex-communicated or expelled, the same would not be a
disqualification.
F 41. The committee, as we find, has placed reliance on
S. Swvigaradoss v. Zonal Manager, F.C.1. 2' The said
d~cision requires to be adverted to. In the said case, the
parents of the petitioner, initially belonged to Adi Dravid by
caste, hailing from Kattalai village in Tirunelveli District, Tamil
G Nadu and they ~ad, before his birth, converted into Christian
religion. The petitioner had filed a suit contending, inter alia,
that after he had become a major, he has continued as Adi
H 21 (1996) 3 sec 100
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 283
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
Dravid. The suit was decreed but eventually, it was reversed A
in second appeal. The Court referred to Article 341(1) of the
Constitution, decisions in B. Basavalingappa v. D.
Munichinnappa22, Bhaiyalal v. Harikishan Singh23 , Srish
Kumar Choudury v. State of Tripura2 4 , Kumari Madhuri
Patel v. Addi. Commissioner, Tribal Development25 and B
opined thus:
"The Courts, therefore, have no power except to give effect
to the notification issued by the President. It is settled law
that the Court would look into the public notification under
Article 341(1) or Article 342(1) for a limited purpose. The C
notification issued by the President and the Act of Parliament
under Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Order
(Amendment) Act, 1976 and the Schedules appended
thereto can be looked into for the purpose to find whether
the castes, races ·or tribes are (sic or) parts of or groups D
within castes, races or tribes shall be Scheduled Castes for
the purposes of the Constitution. UndertheAmendmentAct,
1976, again Parliament has included or excluded from
schedules appended to the Constitution which are now
conclusive. Schedule I relates to Scheduled Castes and E
Schedule II relates to Scheduled Tribes. Christian is not a
Scheduled Caste under the notification issued by the
President. In view of the admitted position thatthe petitioner
was born of Christian parents and his parents also were
converted prior to his birth and no longer remained to be F
Adi-Dravida. a Scheduled Caste forthe pumose ofTirunelveli
District in Tamil Nadu as notified by the President. petitioner
cannot claini to be a Scheduled Caste. In the light of the
constitutional scheme civil court has no jurisdiction under
G
22 AIR 1965 SC 1269
23 AIR 1965 SC 1557
24 (1990) Supp sec 220
25 (1994) 6 sec 241 H
284 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2015] 3 S.C.R.
A Section 9 of CPC to entertain the suit. The suit, therefore, is
not maintainable. The High Court, therefore, was right in
dismissing the suit as not maintainable and also not giving
any declaration sought for."
[Emphasis added]
B
42. The two principles that have been stated in the
aforesaid paragraph are (i) that a court can look into the
Notification by the President and the act of the Parliament
under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Order
C (Amendment) Act, 1976 and the schedule appended thereto
for the limited purpose to find whether the castes, races or
tribes are parts or groups within the caste, races or tribes,
especially scheduled castes for the purpose of Constitution,
and it is because what has been included or excluded therein
D are conclusive; and (ii) that a person born to Christian
parents, who initially belonged to the Scheduled Caste, even
after his reconversion cannot claim to be a Scheduled Caste.
As far as first proposition of law is concerned, there can be
no cavil over the same and we respectfully concur.
E 43. As far as the second principle is concerned, it is
essential to note that the authorities of larger Bench in Y.
Mohan Rao (supra), Kail~sh Sankar (supra) and S.
Anbalagan (supra) were ·not brought to the notice of the
Court. lrrefragably, the second principle runs contrary to
F the proposition laid down in the Constitution Bench in Y.
Mohan Rao (supra) and the decisions rendered by the three-
Judge Bench. When a binding precedent is not taken note
of and the judgment is rendered in ignorance or forgetfulness
of the binding authority, the concept of per incuria comes
G into play. In A.R. Antulay v. R.S. Nayak26 , Sabyasachi
Mukherji, J. (as His Lordship then was) observed that:
"42 ..... 'Per incuriam' are those decisions given in ignorance
H 26 (1988) 2 sec 502
K.P. MANU v. CHAIRMAN, SCRUTINY COMM. FOR 285
VERIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CERT. [DIPAK MISRA, J.]
or forgetfulness of some inconsistent statutory provision or A
of some authority binding on the court concerned, so that in
such cases some part of the decision or some step in the
reasoning on which it is based, is found, on that account to
be demonstrably wrong."
At a subsequent stage of the said authority, it has been B
held that:
"47. .... It is a settled rule that if a ~ecision has been given
per incuriam the court can ignore it."
44. In Union of India and Others v. R.P. Singh27 , the C
Court observed thus:
"In Siddharam Satlingappa Mhetre v. State of Maharashtra 28 ,
while dealing with the issue of "per incuriam", a two-Judge
Bench, after referring to the dictum in Young v.. Bristol o
Aeroplane Co. Ltc/29 • and certain passages from Ha/sbury's
Laws of England and Union of India v. Raghubir Singh30,
had ruled thus:
"The analysis of English and Indian Law clearly leads to the
irresistible conclusion that not only the judgment of a larger E
strength is binding o"n a judgment of smaller strength but the
judgment of a coequal strength is also binding on a Bench
of Judges of coequal strength. In the instant case, judgments
mentioned in paras 124 and 125 are by two or three Judges
of this Court. These judgments have clearly ignored a F
Constitution Bench judgment of this Court in Sibbia case31
which has comprehensively dealt with all the facets of
anticipatory bail enumerated under Section 438 CrPC.
27 (2014) 7 sec 340
G
28 (2011) 1 sec 694
29 1944 KB 718
30 (1989) 2 sec 754
31 (1980) 2 sec 565 H
286 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2015] 3 S.C.R.
A Consequently, the judgments mentioned in paras 124 and
125 of this judgment are per incuriam."
Tested on the aforesaid principles, it can safely be
concluded that the judgment in S. Swvigaradoss (supra),
as far as the second principle is concerned, is per incuriam.
8
45. In the ihstant case, the appellant got married to a
Christian lady and that has been held against him. It has
also been opined that he could not produce any evidence to
show that he has been accepted by the community for
c leading the life of a Hindu. As far as the marriage and leading
of Hindu life are concerned, we are of the convinced opinion
·that, in the instant case, it really cannot be allowed to make
any difference. The community which is a recognised
organisation by the State Government, has granted the
certificate in categorical terms in favour of the appellant. It
0
is the community which has the final say as far as acceptance
is concerned, for it accepts the person, on reconversion,
and takes him within its fold. Therefore, we are inclined to
hold that the appellant after reconversion had come within
the fold of the community and thereby became a member of
E the scheduled caste. Had the community expelled him the
matter would have been different. The acceptance is in
continuum. Ergo, the reasonings ascribed by the Scrutiny
Committee which have been concurred with by the High
Court are wholly unsustainable.
F
46. Consequently, the appeal is allowed and the
judgment and order of the High Court, findings of the Scrutiny
Committee and the orders passed by the State Government
and the second respondent are set aside. The appellant
G shall be reinstated in service forthwith with all the benefits
relating to seniority and his caste, and shall also be paid
backwages upto 75% within eight weeks from today. There
shall be no order as to costs.
Nidhi Jain Appeal allowed
H
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