India’s top court to examine Dalit Christian quota

(January 22, 2011) India’s Supreme Court has decided to examine the issue of extending statutory benefits to Christians and Muslims of low caste origin. The nation’s apex court’s decision came on Friday, six years after the issue was brought before it. The court sought the views of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Commission for Minorities, saying important constitutional issues arise from a bunch of petitions on the issue. A three-member bench, including Chief Justice S H Kapadia, also appointed a senior advocate to assist the court in the matter in which the petitions have been filed both in favour and against extending reservation to dalits who have converted from Hinduism to other faiths. The bench said some questions need to be examined in the context of the President’s Order of 1950 which identified the castes to be brought under reservation policy. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 24. During the last hearing, the Bench had termed the issue as “sensitive” and “important” and had said it might refer the matter for examination by a larger bench, if required.