#Scheduled Caste

The CAT Bangalore ruled that vertical reservation (SC) must be applied before horizontal reservation (PwBD), holding that a candidate qualifying on SC merit cannot be denied appointment for failing the PwBD benchmark. This clarifies the hierarchy between vertical and horizontal quotas in Civil Services appointments, protecting SC candidates who meet merit criteria from exclusion due to disability benchmark shortfalls.

A Jharkhand-SC migrant’s caste is judged by Odisha’s Presidential notification, which labels Bhuiya caste as a tribe, denying him ST benefits. The Orissa HC held that migrants cannot export their home state’s SC/ST status, affecting reservation claims.

Punjab & Haryana High Court held that MBBS prospectus cannot be altered after process starts and that migrant SC certificates do not bar reservation. It quashed revised list and directed a fresh list within ten days, affecting Chandigarh MBBS aspirants.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has held that registering an FIR under Sections 420, 467, 468 and 471 IPC for a forged caste certificate violates due process unless preceded by mandatory verification under the Madhuri Patil committee framework. This ruling protects vulnerable applicants from punitive criminal action based on unverified administrative claims and reinforces that state machinery must exhaust civil scrutiny before invoking criminal law.

The Kerala High Court has held that intentional public humiliation of a Scheduled Caste student by a teacher constitutes a heinous act under Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST (POA) Act, rendering anticipatory bail inapplicable. This ruling reinforces that institutional caste-based abuse, even without physical violence, triggers the Act’s strict bail bar - sending a clear signal to educational institutions and public servants.

Punjab & Haryana HC quashes caste certificate cancellation orders issued without affording petitioners a fair hearing, reinforcing that administrative actions violating natural justice are void. The ruling mandates fresh inquiries with proper evidence presentation, impacting reservation policies and Scheduled Caste rights.

Bombay High Court holds that mere presence of Christian symbols or erroneous entries do not prove conversion; documentary proof of ancestral caste prevails under Maharashtra Act No. XXIII of 2001.