The Supreme Court has held that a person who converts from Hinduism to Islam cannot claim Backward Class reservation benefits merely on the basis of the social backwardness of their pre-conversion caste, dismissing the Tamil Nadu government's appeal and upholding the Madras High Court's decision to strike down a 2024 state government order.

A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Shree Chandrashekhar ruled on October 15 that conversion to Islam does not, by itself, confer membership of any particular notified Backward Class Muslim community, and that a person's pre-conversion caste or community status cannot be transposed into a notified category in the post-conversion social order.

"Backwardness suffered in the antecedent social order cannot by itself be carried forward so as to confer upon him the status of a backward class in the religion to which he has converted," the bench said.

The court also held that deciding entitlement to a statutory community certificate is a public function that cannot be left to a private religious body such as a Jamath.

The case arose from Sameer Ahamed N., born Paramasivara to Hindu parents, who embraced Islam in 2015 and sought a community certificate as a "Muslim Labbai". His application was rejected. While his challenge was pending, Tamil Nadu issued G.O. (Ms.) No. 314 dated March 9, 2024, allowing converts from Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes and Denotified Communities to be issued Backward Class Muslim certificates; the Madras High Court declared that order unconstitutional on June 25, 2026.

The bench also referred to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, under which Scheduled Caste status is tied to professing Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism.

Sources: SCC Times (SCC Online), LawStreet Journal, Nation Press.