Politics · India · 2 hrs ago
Supreme Court rejects reservation claim by Hindu converts to Islam
The Supreme Court upheld a ruling denying Backward Class reservation to Hindu converts to Islam on Thursday.
The case concerns reservation benefits in Tamil Nadu, where the state government had challenged a Madras High Court decision.
The court said a person’s former social status does not by itself qualify them for benefits under a different religious social order.
The decision means converts cannot claim these benefits solely on the basis of their earlier Backward Class status.
DMK leader and former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin criticised the ruling, saying conversion does not erase social disadvantage.
Stalin called on the Tamil Nadu government to challenge the decision and continue efforts to protect reservation rights.
The sources differ on whether he called for a review petition or a Special Leave Petition, and do not say what the government will do next.
The Supreme Court upheld a Madras High Court ruling that Hindu converts to Islam cannot claim Backward Class reservation benefits on the basis of their former status.
The case arose from a Tamil Nadu government decision recognising seven Muslim sects as Backward Classes.
The court said a person who moves from the Hindu social order to a non-Hindu social order cannot claim those benefits based only on prior social backwardness.
DMK president and former Chief Minister M.K. Stalin urged the Tamil Nadu government to challenge the ruling and said religious conversion does not erase social backwardness.
- Who
- The Supreme Court ruled on a challenge brought by the Tamil Nadu government.
- What
- It upheld a ruling denying Backward Class reservation benefits to Hindu converts to Islam based on their former status.
- When
- Thursday, October 15, 2026.
- Where
- The Supreme Court in New Delhi ruled on a Madras High Court decision.
- Why
- The court said prior social backwardness alone does not qualify a convert for benefits in a different social order.
Supreme Court
M.K. Stalin
Reservation eligibility
Supreme Court
A Hindu convert to Islam cannot claim Backward Class benefits based only on the person’s former social status.
M.K. Stalin
Social backwardness persists after conversion, and denying reservation on religious grounds is unjust.
Next steps
Supreme Court
The court upheld the Madras High Court ruling.
M.K. Stalin
Stalin urged the Tamil Nadu government to challenge the decision.
The Madras High Court quashed the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to recognise seven Muslim sects as Backward Classes.
The Supreme Court upheld the High Court ruling in the Tamil Nadu government’s challenge.
M.K. Stalin urged the Tamil Nadu government to challenge the Supreme Court decision.
- Ruling
- Supreme Court upheld the Madras High Court decision
- Bench
- Justices P.K. Mishra and Shree Chandrashekhar
- Government decision
- Recognition of seven Muslim sects as Backward Classes
- Appeal
- Brought by the Tamil Nadu government
- Stalin’s position
- Urged the government to challenge the ruling
7 sources
Stalin urges TVK government to file appeal in Supreme Court over BC reservation for Muslim converts
தமிழக அரசுக்கு உச்ச நீதிமன்றம் அதிரடி செக்; மதம் மாறியவர்களுக்கு பிசி முஸ்லிம் இடஒதுக்கீடு கிடையாது
‘மதத்தைக் காரணம் காட்டி இடஒதுக்கீடு உரிமையை மறுப்பது சமூக அநீதி’ - மு.க. ஸ்டாலின் கண்டனம்!
SC upholds HC order denying OBC reservation benefits to Hindu converts to Islam
முஸ்லிம் மதத்திற்கு மாறிய ஹிந்துக்களுக்கு இடஒதுக்கீடு கிடையாது; உச்சநீதிமன்றம் தீர்ப்பு
What people are saying
Social backwardness does not arise in a day or a generation. It is the result of a social system built over thousands of years. Conversion to another religion does not erase it
Denying reservation on the grounds of religious conversion is against social justice
Posts on X
இஸ்லாம் மதம் தழுவும் பிற்படுத்தப்பட்ட மக்களின் இட ஒதுக்கீட்டு உரிமையைக் காப்பாற்ற தமிழ்நாடு அரசு உடனடியாகச் சீராய்வு மனு தாக்கல் செய்ய வேண்டும் சமூகரீதியான பின்னடைவு (social backwardness) ஒரு நாளிலோ ஒரு தலைமுறையிலோ ஏற்படுவதல்ல. ஆயிரம் ஆயிரம் ஆண்டுகளாகத் தொடர்ந்த சமூகக்