Madras HC Calls Upon Tamil Nadu Government To Allow Authorities To Issue 'No Caste, No Religion' Certificates

The Madras High Court has asked the Tamil Nadu government to take steps to pass a government order (GO) empowering revenue authorities to grant 'no caste, no religion' certificates to applicants seeking the same, reported The New Indian Express.

The suggestion was made by a division bench comprising Justices MS Ramesh and N Senthilkumar on Tuesday (11 June), while allowing an appeal by H Santhosh from Tirupattur district.

The appellant had sought such a certificate for his family, which a single judge had earlier denied.

Setting aside the single judge’s order, the bench instructed the revenue authorities to process and issue the requested certificates within one month of receiving the application.

The court observed that although the Indian Constitution prohibits caste-based discrimination, caste and religion still significantly influence areas such as education, politics, and employment through reservation policies.

Commending the petitioner’s request as “laudable,” the bench stated that such efforts could help advance the constitutional aim of reducing caste-based discrimination and act as an “eye-opener” for similarly inclined individuals.

The court also criticised the revenue department’s stand that tahsildars lack authority due to the absence of a GO, calling the argument “paradoxical.”

It noted that similar certificates had previously been issued in Tirupattur, Coimbatore, and Ambattur.

Citing Article 25 of the Constitution, the bench stated that revenue officials cannot avoid their constitutional duty by pointing to a lack of formal rules or orders.

The article guarantees freedom of religion and conscience, and empowers the state to legislate for social reform.

“Accordingly, we call upon the Government of Tamil Nadu to pass necessary orders, with a specific instruction to the authorities of the revenue department, to positively entertain applications seeking for grant of certificate of ‘no caste, no religion’,” the division bench said in the order passed on Tuesday.

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