Supreme Court Protects Scheduled Caste Status: Caste Certificate Validity Can’t Be Challenged in Election Petitions
The Supreme Court ruled that a caste certificate issued under the Kerala (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Regulation of Issue of Community Certificates Act, 1996, cannot be challenged in an election petition unless expressly permitted by statute. The burden of proof remains on the election petitioner to establish disqualification beyond reasonable doubt. The Court held that allegations of conversion must be proved conclusively, and mere rituals do not determine religious status. The judgment reaffirmed that election petitions require strict compliance with pleadings and evidence standards akin to criminal proceedings. The High Court's decision was overturned for shifting the burden incorrectly and relying on unsubstantiated claims.
Facts Of The Case:
The case involves an appeal ...