Bhubaneswar, March 24 -- The Supreme Court of India has ruled that individuals who convert to religions other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism are not eligible to claim Scheduled Caste (SC) status or seek protection under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

A bench comprising Justices P. K. Mishra and N. V. Anjaria upheld a judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, which had earlier ruled that a person who converts to Christianity and actively practices the faith cannot continue to be recognised as a member of a Scheduled Caste.

The case stemmed from an appeal filed by pastor Chinthada Anand, who had challenged a May 2025 High Court ruling. Anand alleged that he faced caste-based abuse, assault, and threats from certain indivi...