New Delhi, March 24 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that only Hindus, Sikhs or Buddhists can claim the status of a Scheduled Caste person as per the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 and the rule is absolute.

A bench of Justices PK Mishra and NV Anjaria upheld an Andhra Pradesh High Court ruling that had quashed criminal proceedings against six persons accused of caste-based abuse under various provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) holding that the appellant (complainant) cannot claim protection under the SC/ST Act since he had been openly professing Christianity and working as a Pastor for about a decade.

The High Court was of the view that Christianity does not recognise...