New Delhi/IBNS, March 24 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that individuals who convert to religions other than Hinduism, Sikhism, and Buddhism cannot claim Scheduled Caste (SC) status under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, media reports said.

A bench comprising Justices PK Mishra and Manmohan upheld an order of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, ruling that conversion to any religion outside the three specified would result in the loss of SC status.

The ruling came in a case involving a man who had converted to Christianity and became a pastor. He had filed a complaint under the SC/ST Act alleging assault.

However, the accused challenged the case, arguing that the complainant, having converted ...