In a significant judgment delivered on January 10, 2026, the Allahabad High Court stated that a person’s caste is determined by birth and is not altered by religious conversion or inter-caste marriage. The court made this observation while dismissing a criminal appeal filed by the accused in a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The ruling clarifies that caste-based laws provide protection regardless of personal life decisions, ensuring that women retain legal safeguards even after inter-caste marriages.
The case arose in Aligarh district, where a woman originally from West Bengal filed a complaint alleging assault, abusive language, and the use of casteist slurs by the accused. Three people, including the complainant, were injured in the incident. The lower court had issued summons to the accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) as well as the SC/ST Act.
The accused, including Dinesh and eight others, appealed to the Allahabad High Court, arguing that the complainant had married into the Jat community and therefore no longer belonged to her original caste. They claimed that the SC/ST Act should not apply to her.
The bench, headed by Justice Anil Kumar, rejected the plea entirely. The court held that caste is determined by birth and is not altered by marriage or conversion. The judgment further emphasized that cross-complaints (cases where both parties file complaints) cannot be a reason to dismiss a valid complaint. The lower court had issued summons based on the statements of the complainant and witnesses, along with evidence of injuries.
This verdict ensures that women retain legal protection within their original caste even after inter-caste marriages. The court highlighted that caste-based laws are anchored in social identity, not individual life choices, thereby reinforcing legal safeguards against caste-based discrimination and atrocities.
The Allahabad High Court’s decision is being hailed as clear, just, and socially progressive, reaffirming that caste identity remains lifelong and cannot be nullified by personal choices like marriage or religious conversion.
