Topic
The right to identity in Indian law protects an individual's legal recognition of name, birth details, caste, religion, or absence thereof, as an extension of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.
Madras High Court affirms the right to self-identify without caste or religion under Article 21, directing authorities to issue 'No Caste No Religion' certificates. The ruling reinforces personal liberty and administrative compliance, setting a precedent for identity rights in India.
The Bombay High Court Nagpur Bench has ruled that submission of Form C and verifiable historical birth records is sufficient to establish Scheduled Tribe identity for caste certification. Demanding additional documents like family trees or home enquiry reports violates procedural fairness and imposes unlawful burdens on applicants, reinforcing the right to identity under Article 14 and 21.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that pending inheritance disputes cannot delay or invalidate caste certificate applications. Decisions must be based solely on evidence of caste identity, not unrelated civil or revenue litigation - safeguarding the right to identity and administrative fairness for marginalized applicants.
Telangana High Court rules that rejecting passport date-of-birth corrections solely based on a five-year lapse without assessing document genuineness violates constitutional rights. The judgment mandates individualized evaluation under the 2016 Office Memorandum, impacting thousands seeking identity corrections.
Bombay High Court holds that accurate birth records must be corrected using documentary proof, even after one-year window, affirming the right to identity under Article 21.