Supreme Court allows issuance of SC certificate to girl based on mother's caste

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Monday approved the issuance of SC certificate based on the 'Adi Dravida' caste of her mother and not her father.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justic Joymalya Bagchi rejected a petition challenging a Madras High Court order directing grant of SC certificate to a Puducherry girl, on the sole ground that her academics may suffer without it.

The decision was aimed at facilitating the education of the girl even though the top court is yet to adjudicate a bunch of petitions challenging the norm that a child inherits their father's caste, according to a report by The Times of India.

The CJI said, "With changing times, why should a caste certificate be not issued based on the mother's caste?"

The presidential notifications of March 5, 1964 and February 17, 2002, read with instructions of the Union Home Ministry, say that a person's eligibility to get a caste certificate is primarily based on their father's caste as well as his residential status in the state or UT's jurisdiction.