Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of India takes the issue of including Dalit Christians and Muslims in the Scheduled Caste category in its hand. The court has kept aside, the Centre’s plea to wait for the report of a three-member commission on the matter. The commission had to decide on if the Dalit Christians and Muslims be provided with reservation. Notably, the matter was pending in court for almost two decades.
Reports by Mishra Commission declined
The central government had appointed a panel that was to decide if the SC status could be given to those who claimed to have historically belonged to the community but converted to other religions.
This panel was set after the government declined the findings of the Mishra Commission, headed by Justice Ranganath Mishra. The commission has recommended their inclusion in the quota. It was claimed that the commission report was prepared without any kind of field study and consultation. Also, it was said that the report was not that “perfunctory”. While the bench argues that the government was making many generalized statements and it should again have a look into the report.
Supreme Court takes the charge
After KM Nataraj, the Additional Solicitor General submitted the report on the decision of the government. The report said that the apex court should wait for empirical data collected by the new commission. Replying to this, the bench said, “Tomorrow there will be a different political dispensation which may say that the enw report is not acceptable. How many committees will be appointed?”
The court has stated that the issue could be adjudicated by the court as there is enough material on the issue. The material has clearly justified the fact that Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians are treated as “untouchables”. They are even discriminated against and are at the bottom of the social hierarchy.
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