How conversion affects reservation

The Supreme Court recently upheld the Madras High Court’s judgment invalidating Tamil Nadu Government Order dated March 9, 2024. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu The invalidation of Tamil Nadu’s 2024 order highlights the distinction between Scheduled Caste status and backward-class classification. Conversion cannot automatically transfer a person into a different notified community, but continuing social disadvantage calls for evidence-based inquiry.On October 15, 2026, the Supreme Court, in The Secretary to Government v. Sameer Ahamed N., upheld the Madras High Court’s judgment invalidating Tamil Nadu Government Order (Ms.) No. 31 dated March 9, 2024. The order sought to enable persons converting to Islam from Backward Classes (BC), Most Backward Classes (MBC), Denotified Communities (DNC) and Scheduled Castes (SC) to obtain Backward Class Muslim certificates and use the State’s 3.5% reservation for BC Muslims. Published - October 21, 2026 07:00 am IST