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PETITIONER: SOOSAI ETC.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS

DATE OF JUDGMENT30/09/1985

BENCH: PATHAK, R.S. BENCH: PATHAK, R.S. BHAGWATI, P.N. (CJ) SEN, AMARENDRA NATH (J)

CITATION:  1986 AIR  733            1985 SCR  Supl. (3) 242  1985 SCC  Supl.  590     1985 SCALE  (2)773

ACT:      Constitution of India 1950, Articles 14 to 17 and 341 & Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950, Para 3.      Persons belonging  to Schedule  Caste -  Conversion  to Christianity Disentitlement  to  benefit  of  constitutional provisions relating  to Schedule  Castes  -  Whether  legal, valid and constitutional.

HEADNOTE:      The Government  of  India  set  up  a  special  Central Assistance Scheme  for  the  welfare  of  Scheduled  Castes. Consequent to  a proposal  under this  Scheme, allotment  of bunk free  of Cost were to be made to cobblers by profession who worked on the roadside, by the State Government of Tamil Nadu in  pursuance to G.O. No. 580 Social Welfare Department dated February 13, 1982. This Order specifically stated that persons belonging  to the  Scheduled Castes and converted to Christianity were  not eligible  for  assistance  under  the scheme.      The petitioner,  who was  a Hindu belonging to the Adi- Dravida caste and on conversion to Christianity continued as a member  of that  caste,-contended in  his writ petition to this court  that he  had been  denied  the  benefit  of  the welfare assistance  intended for  Scheduled  Castes  on  the ground that  he professes  the Christian  religion, and that such  discrimination  had  been  affected  pursuant  to  the provision contained  in  paragraph  3  of  the  Constitution (Scheduled Castes)  Order, 1950  and that  the provision was constitutionally invalid  as being  violative of Articles 14 to 17.      In the  connected  writ  petition,  relief  was  sought against the  Circular letter dated August 16/25, 1983 issued by the  State Government  of Tamilnadu  to the  State Public Service Commission stating that "Scheduled Caste" Christians who revert to Hinduism and on that basis obtain appointments to reserved  seats in Government services and having done so change their religion once 243 again after  their entry into Government service were liable to have their selection cancelled, as being constitutionally invalid and violative of Articles 14 to 17.

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    On the  question: whether  the Constitution  (Scheduled Castes) Order,  1950  is  constitutionally  invalid  on  the ground that  only  Hindu  or  Sikh  members  of  the  castes enumerated in  the Schedule  to that  Order are deemed to be Scheduled Castes  for the  purpose of  the  Constitution  of India.      Dismissing the writ petitions, ^      HELD: 1.  It is  not possible to say that the President acted   arbitrarily in  the  exercise  of  his  judgment  in enacting paragraph  3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. [250 F]      2.Dr. J.H.  Hutton, a  Census  Commissioner  of  India, framed a  list of  the depressed  classes and  that list was made the  basis of  an  order  promulgated  by  the  British Government  in   India  called   the  Government   of  India (Scheduled Castes)  Order, 1936. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order,  1950 was substantially modelled on the Order of 1936.  The Order  of 1936 enumerated several castes races or  tribes  in  an  attached  schedule  and  they  were,  by paragraph 2  of the  Order, deemed  to be  Scheduled Castes. Paragraph 3  of the  same Order  declared  that  the  Indian Christians  would  not  be  deemed  to  be  members  of  the Scheduled Castes. [249 C-D]      3. The  President had  before him  material  indicating that the  depressed  classes  of  the  Hindu  and  the  Sikh Communities suffered  from economic  and social disabilities and  cultural  and  educational  backwardness  so  gross  in character and degree that the members of these Castes in the two  communities   called  for   the   protection   of   the Constitutional provisions  relating to the Scheduled Castes, and that  in order  to provide  for their  amelioration  and advancement it  was necessary to conceive of intervention by the State through its legislative and executive powers. [249 H; 250 B]      4.(i) In  discharge of the obligation imposed by clause (1) of  Article 341  the President  issued the  Constitution (Scheduled  Castes)  Order,  1950.  In  its  original  form, paragraph 3  declared that  (1) no  person who  professes  a religion different  from Hinduism  would be  deemed to  be a member  of  a  Scheduled  Caste.  There  was  a  proviso  to paragraph 3  which  declared  that  every    member  of  the Ramdasi, Kabirpanthi, Mazhabi or Sikligar caste 244 resident in  Punjab or  the Patiala  and East  Punjab States Union would  in relation  to that  State be  deemed to  be a member of  the Scheduled  Castes whether  he  professed  the Hindu  religion   or  the   Sikh   religion.   Subsequently, Parliament enacted the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment)  Act,  1956  which  substituted  for  the original paragraph 3 the present paragraph 3, which declared :-           "3.   Notwithstanding    anything   contained   in           paragraph 2,no  person who  professes  a  religion           different from  the Hindu  or  the  Sikh  religion           shall be  deemed to  be a  member of  a  Scheduled           Caste." [247 F; 248A]      (ii)  For   the  purposes   of  the   Constitution  the constitutional      provisions relating  to Scheduled Castes are intended  to be  applied to  only those  members of  the castes enumerated  in the  Constitution  (Scheduled  Castes) Order, 1950 who profess the Hindu or the Sikh religion. If a Christian belongs  to one  of those  castes, he is barred by reason of  paragraph 3, from being regarded as a member of a Scheduled Caste  and is,  therefore,  not  entitled  to  the

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benefit  of   the  constitutional   provisions  relating  to Scheduled Castes. [248 B-Cl      5. The  declaration incorporated  in paragraph  3 was a declaration made  for the  purposes of  the Constitution. It was a  declaration enjoined  by clause (1) of Article 341 of the Constitution.  To establish  that  paragraph  3  of  the Constitution (Scheduled  Castes) Order,  1950  discriminates against Christian  members of  the enumerated castes it must be shown  that they suffer from a comparable depth of social and  economic  disabilities  and  cultural  and  educational backwardness and  similar levels  of degradation  within the Christian community  necessitating intervention by the State under provisions  of the  Constitution. It is not sufficient to show  that the  same caste continues after conversion. It is necessary  to establish further that the disabilities and handicaps suffered  from such caste membership in the social order of  its origin - Hinduism continue in their oppressive severity in  the new  environment of  a different  religious community. No  authoritative or  detailed study dealing with the present conditions of Christian society have been placed on the record in this case. [250 B-E]

JUDGMENT: ORIGINAL JURISDICTION  : Writ  Petition No.  9596 of  1983 & 1017 of 1984.       (Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India.) 245      F.S. Nariman,  U.S. Prasad,  Jose Verghese, N.P. Midha, V.A. A Bobde and L.R. Singh for the Petitioners.      Govind Das,  M.M. Abdul Khadar, R. Thiyagarajan, Ms. A. Subhashini and A.V. Rangam for the Respondents.      The Judgment of the Court was delivered by B      PATHAK, J.  This and the connected writ petitions raise the important  question whether  the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order,  1950  is  constitutionally  invalid  on  the ground that  only  Hindu  or  Sikh  members  of  the  castes enumerated in  the Schedule  to that  Order are deemed to be Scheduled Castes  for the  purposes of  the Constitution  of India.      The petitioner  Soosai (in  Writ Petition  No. 9596  of 1983) states  that he  belongs to  the Adi-Dravida Community and is  a convert  to  Christianity.  He  is  a  cobbler  by profession and  works on  the roadside  at one of the cross- roads in  Madras. In  May, 1982,  the officers  of the Tamil Nadu Khadi  and Village  Industries Board surveyed the sites on which cobblers were working, including the place occupied by the petitioner, and subsequently on July 27, 1982 several cobblers were  allotted bunks  free of  cost by the Regional Deputy Director,  Khadi and  Village Industries  Board.  The petitioner was not. On enquiry the E petitioner came to know that the allotment of bunks free of cost was consequent to a proposal under  the Special Central Assistance Scheme of the Government of India for the welfare of Scheduled Castes. The funds for the purpose were provided from the Special Central Assistance of  the Government  of India  set up  for  giving effect to  schemes exclusively intended for Scheduled Castes under  G.O.Ms.  No.  580  Social  Welfare  Department  dated February 13,  1982.  It  is  pointed  out  that  this  Order specifically states  that persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes and  converted to  Christianity are  not eligible for assistance under  the scheme. The petitioner points out that the  said  Order  has  been  made  in  consonance  with  the Constitution   (Scheduled   Castes)   Order,   1950,   which

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specifically  declares   that  no  person  who  professes  a religion different from the Hindu or the Sikh religion shall be  deemed  to  be  a  member  of  a  Scheduled  Caste.  The petitioner assails  the validity of that Order on the ground that it violates Articles 14, 15 and 25 of the Constitution.      The essence  of the  petitioner’s case is that he was a Hindu belonging  to the  Adi-Dravida caste and on conversion to Christianity he continues as a member of that caste. The 246 Adi-Dravida caste  is one  of the  castes enumerated  in the Schedule to the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950. The petitioner  alleges that  he has been denied the benefit of welfare  assistance intended  for Scheduled Castes on the ground only that he professes the Christian religion, and he contends that  inasmuch  as  such  discrimination  has  been effected pursuant  to the provision contained in paragraph 3 of the  Constitution (Scheduled  Castes) Order,  1950,  that provision  is   constitutionally  invalid.   The  petitioner invokes Article  14, which  is the  central provision in the Constitution guaranteeing  the right  to equality before the law and  the equal protection of the laws, and clause (1) of Article 15,  which prohibits  the State  from discriminating against any  citizen on  the ground  only, among  others, of religion. It is  pointed  out that when clause (4) of Article 15 permits the State, notwithstanding  the prohibition  contained in clause (1)  of  Article  15  to  make  special  provision  for  the advancement of  socially and  educationally backward classes of citizens  and for  the  Scheduled  Castes  and  Scheduled Tribes,  it   envisages  such   special  provision  for  the advancement of  all members  of  such  backward  classes  of citizens, Scheduled  Castes and  Scheduled  Tribes.  If  any discrimination  is   exercised  between  the  members  of  a Scheduled Caste  on the  ground of  religion only  so as  to promote the  welfare of  one group of members and deny it to the others  the denial  will be  invalid. Reference has also been made to  Article  25  on the  ground that a Christian convert will be tempted to re-convert  to Hinduism  or Sikhism  in order  to benefit from the  constitutional provisions  relating  to  Scheduled Castes and therefore paragraph 3 in its operation denies him freedom of  conscience and  the  right  freely  to  profess, practice and propagate his religion.      The framers  of the  Constitution have taken great care to ensure that sufficient provision is made for ameliorating the conditions  of certain  backward classes  found in India who suffer from social and economic disabilities. Article 46 enjoins upon  the State,  as a  Directive Principle of State policy, to  promote with  special care  the educational  and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and in particular  of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and to  protect them  from social injustice and all forms of exploitation. In consonance with this objective they enacted a number  of provisions in the Constitution, of which clause (4) of  Article 15  is one.  Besides, although clause (1) of Article  16   guarantees  equality  of  opportunity  to  all citizens in matters relating to employment or appointment to any office under the State, there is clause (4) of 247 Article 16 which lays down that nothing in Article 16 will A prevent  the   State  from  making  any  provision  for  the reservation of  appointments  or  posts  in  favour  of  any backward class  of citizens  which, in  the opinion  of  the State, is  not adequately  represented in the services under the State. Article 17 abolishes "Untouchability" and forbids

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its practice  in any form, and declares that the enforcement of any disability arising out Of "Untouchability" will be an offence punishable  in accordance  with law. There are other provisions, such  as Article  330  which  provides  for  the reservation  of  seats  in  the  House  of  the  People  for Scheduled Castes  and Scheduled Tribes and Article 332 which makes similar  provision for  the reservation  of seats  for them in  the State  Legislative Assemblies  We are concerned here with  the advantages  and  benefits  envisaged  by  the Constitution in respect of members of the Scheduled Castes.      The expression Scheduled Castes is defined in clause 24 of Article 366 to mean such castes, races or tribes or parts of or  groups within  such castes,  races or  tribes as  are deemed under  Article 341  to be  Scheduled Castes  for  the purpose of  this Constitution  . Clause  (1) of  Article 341 enjoins upon the President to specify by public notification the castes,  races or  tribes or  parts of  or groups within castes, races  or tribes,  which for  the  purposes  of  the Constitution are  deemed to  be Scheduled Castes in relation to a  State or  Union territory.  Once such  notification is issued  by   the  President  it  cannot  be  varied  by  any subsequent notification except that, by virtue of clause (2) of Article  341, Parliament may by law include in or exclude from  the   list  of   Scheduled  Castes  specified  in  the notification issued  under clause  (1) any  caste,  race  or tribe or  part of or group within  any caste, race or tribe. In discharge  of the  obligation imposed  by clause  (1)  of Article 341 the President issued the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order,  1950. In  its  original  form,  paragraph  3 declared  that   ....no  person  who  professes  a  religion different from Hinduism- would be deemed to be 2 member of z Scheduled Caste.  There was  a proviso  to paragraph 3 which declared that  every member  of  the  Ramdasi,  Kabirpanthi, Mazhabi or  Sikligar caste resident in Punjab or the Patiala and East Punjab States Union would in relation to that State be deemed  to be  member of the Scheduled Castes whether the professed  the   Hindu  religion   or  the   Sikh  religion. Subsequently Parliament  enacted the  Scheduled  Castes  and Scheduled  tribes   orders  (Amendment)   Act,  1956   which substituted  for  the  original  paragraph  3  that  present paragraph, which declares:- 248           "3.   Notwithstanding    anything   contained   in           paragraph 2,  no person  who professes  a religion           different from  the Hindu  or  the  Sikh  religion           shall be  deemed to  be a  member of  a  Scheduled           Caste. It is  apparent that for the purpose of the Constitution the constitutional provisions  relating to  Scheduled Castes are intended to  be applied  to only those members of the castes enumerated in  the Constitution  (Scheduled  Castes)  Order, 1950 who profess the Hindu or the Sikh religion. Clearly, if it can  be contemplated  that a  Christian belongs to one of those castes,  he is  barred by  reason of paragraph 3, from being regarded  as a  member of  a Scheduled  Caste and  is, therefore, not entitled to the benefit of the constitutional provisions relating to Scheduled Castes.      The main  question debated before us is whether a Hindu belonging  to   a  Scheduled  Caste  retains  his  caste  on conversion to  Christianity. Cases decided by this Court and by the  High Courts  bearing on the point have been cited on both sides  of the  line, and our attention has been invited to text  books, commentaries and Commission Reports, some of which contain  the observation  that  depressed  groups  and castes are  to be  found not only among Hindus and Sikhs but

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also  among   Muslims  and  Christians.  It  appears  to  us unnecessary in  this case to enter upon that question and to decide whether  a Hindu  belonging to  the Adi-Dravida caste continues to  be a member of that caste on his conversion to the Christian religion. We shall assume, for the purposes of this case, that the caste is retained on conversion from one religion to  the. Other. The real question is whether on the material before  us it  can be  said that  in confining  the declaration to members of the Hindus and the Sikh religions, paragraph 3  of the  Constitution (Scheduled  Castes) Order, 1950  discriminates   against  members   of  the   Christian religion.      Now it  cannot be  disputed that  the caste system is a feature of  the Hindu  social  structure.  It  is  a  social phenomenon peculiar  to Hindu  society. The  division of the Hindu social  order by reference at one time to professional or vocational  occupation  was  moulded  into  a  structural hierarchy which  over  the  centuries  crystallized  into  a stratification  where   the  place  of  the  individual  was determined by  birth. Those  who occupied the lowest rung of the social  ladder  were  treated  as  existing  beyond  the periphery of  civilised society,  and were  indeed not  even "touchable". This social attitude committed those castes to 249 severe social  and economic  disabilities and cultural and A educational backwardness. And through most of Indian history the oppressive  nature of  the caste structure has denied to those  disadvantaged   castes  the   fundamentals  of  human dignity, human  self respect and even some of the attributes of the  human  personality.  Both  history  and  latter  day practice in  Hindu society  are heavy  with evidence of this oppressive tyranny,  and B  despite the  efforts of  several noted  social  reformers,  specially  during  the  last  two centuries, there has been a crying need for the emancipation of the  depressed classes  from the  degrading conditions of their social  and economic  servitude. Dr.  J.H.  Hutton,  a Census Commissioner of India, framed a list of the depressed classes systematically,  and that list was made the basis of an order  promulgated by  the British  Government  in  India called the  Government of  India (Scheduled  Castes)  Order, 1936. The  Constitution (Scheduled  Castes) Order,  1950  is substantially modelled  on the  Order of  1936. The Order of 1936 enumerated  several  castes,  races  or  tribes  in  an attached Schedule  and they  were, by  paragraph  2  of  the Order, deemed  to be  Scheduled Castes.  Paragraph 3  of the same order  declared that the Indian Christians would not be deemed to  be members  of the  Scheduled Castes.  During the framing  of   the  Constitution,  the  Constituent  Assembly recognised that the Scheduled Castes were a backward section of the  Hindu community who were handicapped by the practice of  untouchability   ,  and   that  this  evil  practice  of untouchability was  not recognised by any other religion and the question  of any Scheduled Caste belonging to a religion other than  Hinduism did  not therefore  arise B. Shiva Rao: The Framing  of India’s  Constitution: A  Study p. 771). The Sikhs  however,   demanded  that   some  of  their  backward sections,  the   Mazhabis,   Ramdasias,   Kabirpanthis   and Sikligars, should  be included  in  the  list  of  Scheduled Castes. The  demand was  accepted on  the basis  that  these sects were  originally Scheduled  Caste Hindus  who had only recently been  converted to the Sikh faith and "had the same disabilities as  the Hindu  Scheduled Castes (Supra p. 771). The depressed  classes within  the fold of Hindu society and the four  classes of  the Sikh community were therefore made the subject  of the original Constitution (Scheduled Castes)

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Order,  1950.   Subsequently  in   1956   the   Constitution (Scheduled Castes  ) Order,  1950 was  amended  and  it  was broadened to include all Sikh untouchables.      It is  quite evident  that the President had before him all this  material indicating  that the depressed classes of the Hindu  and the  Sikh communities  suffered from economic and social H 250 disabilities and  cultural and  educational backwardness  so gross A  in character  and degree  that the members of those castes in  the two  communities called for the protection of the Constitutional  provisions  relating  to  the  Scheduled Castes. It  was evident  that in  order to provide for their amelioration and advancement it was necessary to conceive of intervention  by  the  State  through  its  legislative  and executive powers. It must be remembered that the declaration incorporated in  paragraph 3  deeming them  to be members of the Scheduled Castes was a declaration made for the purposes of the Constitution. It was a declaration enjoined by clause (1) of  Article 341  of the  Constitution. To establish that paragraph 3  of the  Constitution (Scheduled  Castes) Order, 1950  discriminates   against  Christian   members  of   the enumerated castes  it must  be shown that they suffer from a comparable depth  of social  and economic  disabilities  and cultural and  educational backwardness and similar levels of degradation within  the  Christian  community  necessitating intervention by  the  State  under  the  provisions  of  the Constitution. It  is not  sufficient to  show that  the same caste  continues   after  conversion.  It  is  necessary  to establish  further   that  the  disabilities  and  handicaps suffered from  such caste  membership in the social order of its origin  Hinduism - continue in their oppressive severity in the  new environment  of a different religions community. References have  been made  in the material before us in the most cursory  manner to  the character  and incidents of the castes within  the Christian  fold, but no authoritative and detailed  study  dealing  with  the  present  conditions  of Christian society  have been  placed on  the record  in this case. It  is,  therefore,  not  possible  to  say  that  the president acted  arbitrarily in the exercise of his judgment in enacting  paragraph  3  of  the  Constitution  (Scheduled Castes) order,  1950. It is now well established that when a violation of  Article 14 or any of its related provisions is alleged, the  burden rests on the petitioner to establish by clear and congent evidence that the State has been guilty of arbitrary discrimination.  Having regard to the State of the record before  us, we are unable to hold that the petitioner has established  his case.  The challenge  must,  therefore, fail.      In the  connected writ  petition No.  1017 of  1984 the submissions  have   proceeded  substantially   on  the  same grounds, and  relief has  been sought additionally against a Circular Letter  No. 21711/ADWII/80-26  dated August  16/25, 1983 issued  by the  Government of  Tamil Nadu  to the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission stating that "Scheduled Caste Christians who  revert to  Hinduism and on that basis obtain appointments to reserved 251 seats in  Government services,  and having  done  80  change their religion  once again after their entry into Government service are liable to have their selection cancelled. On the considerations which  have prevailed  with us  in dismissing the earlier  writ petition,  this writ petition must also be dismissed.      The writ  petitions are dismissed but without any order

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as to costs. N.V.K.                                  Petitions dismissed. 252