TN Elections: PIL in Madras HC to bar candidates not professing Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism from SC seats

A public interest litigation has been filed before the Madras High Court seeking directions to ensure that only those professing Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism are permitted to contest elections from constituencies reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) communities [Arjun Sampath Vs Chief Electoral Officer]

The plea, moved by Hindu Munnani leader Arjunan Sampath has sought a direction to the Chief Electoral Officer and all returning officers in Tamil Nadu to strictly scrutinise nomination papers for SC-reserved constituencies and reject candidates who do not meet the constitutional criteria.

Relying on the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order of 1950, the petition contends that SC status is confined to persons professing Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism.

As per the petition, persons who profess any other religion are not entitled to claim such status and consequently, cannot contest from constituencies earmarked for SC communities.

The plea also places reliance on a recent Supreme Court judgment dated March 24 in which the Court held that no person who professes a religion other than Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste and that such disqualification is “categorical and absolute.”

According to the petitioner, the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections were notified on March 30, with 44 constituencies reserved for Scheduled Castes. In this backdrop, the plea stresses the need for strict enforcement of the constitutional scheme at the stage of scrutiny of nomination papers.

Sampath claims to have submitted representations on March 30 and April 1 to the authorities seeking issuance of appropriate directions to Returning Officers, but alleges that no action was taken.

The petition further contends that permitting ineligible candidates to contest from SC-reserved constituencies would defeat the purpose of reservation and undermine the constitutional framework governing such protections.

An interim application has also been filed seeking immediate directions to authorities to enforce strict scrutiny norms before the deadline for verification of nomination papers.