India, Oct. 16 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a Madras high court decision that barred the Tamil Nadu government from providing reservation to those who convert to Islam on the basis of their pre-conversion status.

In March 2024, the Tamil Nadu government allowed people converting from Backward Classes, Most Backwards Classes, Denotified Communities, or Scheduled Castes (SCs) to be treated as one of seven Muslim sects that are classified as backward for issuing community certificates. The Madras high court struck this government order down earlier this year, and the Supreme Court has upheld the high court's decision.

How large is the population affected by these changes? How significant is the share of backward classes in relig...