The Allahabad High Court has ruled that the SC/ST Act cannot be invoked merely because a complainant belongs to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe. Justice Santosh Rai observed that specific ingredients of the offence must be present, quashing proceedings under the Act in a property dispute where no caste-based abuse occurred.
The West Bengal government has initiated a re-verification process for all caste certificates issued since 2011, following allegations of irregularities during the previous administration.
The Centre has notified 40 questions for the upcoming Census 2027, including caste and place of Covid vaccination, marking the first time caste details will be collected as part of the decadal exercise. The population enumeration will be a fully digital process, with an option for self-enumeration.
Opposition leaders have questioned how caste responses will be recorded without state-wise pre-prepared lists.
'They want to sabotage the caste census and bury Muslim backward classes, Hindu backward classes, Sikh backward classes and Buddhist backward classes.'
The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a review petition challenging its earlier verdict that a person from a Scheduled Caste (SC) community loses their SC status upon converting to a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism, effective from the moment of conversion.
Delhi Police detained several anti-reservation protesters at Jantar Mantar who were demanding that economic criteria be prioritised over caste for government support and reservation. The protest, mobilised via social media by 'Reservation Hatao Andolan', proceeded despite police denying permission for Jantar Mantar and offering Ramlila Ground as an alternative venue. Demonstrators called for a review of the existing reservation system and the introduction of a creamy-layer criterion.
The Supreme Court of India has ruled that individuals converting from Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism cannot retain Scheduled Caste status, reinforcing existing constitutional provisions.
A special court in Mumbai has sentenced a 32-year-old man to six months rigorous imprisonment for making derogatory remarks against Dr B R Ambedkar and hurling casteist slurs at an advocate. The court rejected the defence's argument about lack of independent witnesses, noting the incident occurred in public view.
The Crime Branch has taken over the investigation into the alleged suicide of a 22-year-old IIT Bombay student, Sahil Ravindra Wakode. Wakode was found dead after being caught using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during an exam. His parents have filed a complaint alleging institutional harassment and caste-based discrimination, leading to a protest by students. A professor has been named as an accused, and the Crime Branch is expected to summon them for questioning. This marks the third suicide at IIT Bombay in seven months.
A woman official from the Scheduled Tribes certificate scrutiny committee has been arrested in Thane for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe to clear caste verification files.
A Dalit groom with a physical disability was assaulted and subjected to casteist abuses for riding a horse during his wedding ceremony in Madhya Pradesh's Damoh district.
An FIR has been registered in Haldwani against unknown persons following an alleged "purification ceremony" at Ramlila Maidan after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's public meeting. The complaint, filed by Congress leader Anju Arya, alleges caste discrimination and social humiliation. The Uttarakhand High Court has been assured of an investigation, and Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallu Ravi, have demanded action, with Ravi filing a separate complaint in Delhi.
The Kerala High Court has intervened to protect a young woman, known as the 'Kumbh Mela girl', from being transferred to Madhya Pradesh police without its order, despite a directive from the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.
An FIR has been registered against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Haldwani following a complaint from a Valmiki community member. The complaint alleges Gandhi gave a casteist interpretation to a religious ritual performed after an AICC chief's programme, hurting community sentiments. The case involves provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, stemming from a political row over a 'purification yajna' at a rally venue.
The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that the 'creamy layer' principle, which excludes affluent individuals from reservation benefits, does not apply to Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). This stance opposes Public Interest Litigations (PILs) seeking to implement such a principle for SC/ST reservations and to direct the government to formulate policies for more equitable distribution of reservation benefits.
Two policemen, including one from the MP police special task force, have been arrested in Bhopal for allegedly luring and raping a 17-year-old Dalit girl. The main accused, Santosh Sen, is charged under POCSO and SC/ST Act, while his colleague, Jitendra Rajput, is accused of abetment.
The Goa cabinet has approved the Goa Prohibition of Unlawful Conversions of Religion Bill, 2026, which proposes stringent penalties, including life imprisonment, for religious conversions carried out through force, fraud, or marriage. The bill will be tabled in the state assembly's monsoon session.
Various reforms, including GST, labour codes, and quality control order, have been rolled out since August 15.
Self-proclaimed Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj was questioned by Delhi Police during his remand in connection with an alleged assault on a student activist's father at Jantar Mantar. Bhardwaj, who showed no remorse, was confronted with his viral videos. The case now includes charges under the SC/ST Act and POCSO Act, following outrage and further complaints.
The Goa government has decided not to introduce its anti-religious conversion bill during the ongoing monsoon session of the state assembly, following significant pushback from legislators representing the minority community.
In addition to caste details, the Census will, for the first time, collect personal information such as the total number of bank accounts held by individuals, along with their mobile number, Aadhaar number, voter ID number, passport number and driving licence status, according to the 40 questions notified by the Registrar General of India on Friday.
The Kerala High Court has vacated its order for police protection to a young woman, who gained fame during the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela, after police reported they could not trace her. Her husband faces kidnapping charges, as her family claims she is a minor and opposed their marriage. The court stated protection would be provided if she approaches them.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale stated that opposing reservation is unconstitutional and that the policy would be given up if casteism is eliminated. He highlighted the historical context of reservations for SC/ST and OBCs, and the Modi government's EWS quota. Athawale also criticised the opposition, praised government achievements, and discussed various welfare schemes and infrastructure projects in Chhattisgarh.
A Dalit labourer was allegedly abducted, strangled, and his body dumped in a canal in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, following an altercation. Police have arrested one suspect and are investigating the case.
A man in Uttar Pradesh has been arrested for allegedly tying a Dalit girl to a tree and beating her after accusing her of stealing from his shop. The incident came to light after a video went viral on social media.
Former India captain Asunta Lakra has written to the National Commission for Women (NCW), requesting an independent inquiry into the handling of sexual harassment complaints at Hockey India and its affiliated organisations. Lakra alleges institutional failure, deliberate inaction, and intimidation of complainants, specifically accusing Hockey India secretary general Bholanath Singh of threatening her after she raised concerns about alleged misconduct by Jharkhand coach Sudhir Gola. She also highlighted multiple complaints since January 2025 and caste-based humiliation of tribal players.
A Dalit man in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, attempted self-immolation after allegedly being assaulted and subjected to casteist slurs by an influential local man. The accused has been arrested, and the victim is in critical condition.
The Congress party has launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a 'millstone' around India's neck and accusing him of presiding over the 'murder of democracy', even as he achieved the milestone of becoming India's longest continuously serving elected prime minister.
Police in Thane have registered a case against approximately 20 individuals for allegedly killing a 60-year-old man following a dispute in the Dombivli area of Maharashtra's Thane district.
Congress MLA Ramya Haridas was involved in a scuffle with local party workers in Chirayinkeezhu, Thiruvananthapuram, leading to injuries and police cases. Both Haridas and the party workers, including district panchayat member Sajith Muttambalam and leader Sajad, have filed complaints, each presenting a different account of the incident which reportedly stemmed from a dispute over a WhatsApp post and the role of Haridas' staff member.
'Once the numbers come out, they fear that the OBCs would start to demand, and articulate what they are lacking, why they are lacking and what should be done to go forward.'
A Nashik court has remanded Nida Khan, accused in a TCS sexual harassment and forced conversion case, to judicial custody until May 24. Khan was arrested on May 7 and faces charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has deemed WhatsApp messages sent by a deceased tribal man to his father as a "prima facie crucial dying declaration" in a suicide abetment case. This ruling led to the denial of bail for three accused individuals, who were allegedly involved in harassing the victim over an agricultural land dispute. The court highlighted the electronic evidence and corroborating family statements.
A Nashik court has granted bail to TCS employee Nida Khan, arrested two months ago in connection with alleged sexual harassment and religious conversion cases at the company's unit. Her co-accused, Danish Shaikh, was denied bail. Khan's bail was sought on grounds of pregnancy, while the prosecution argued against it, citing evidence of sexual assault and religious coercion, including attempts to convert a Scheduled Caste victim. A Special Investigation Team is investigating nine such cases at the TCS Nashik unit, and TCS has stated a zero-tolerance policy.
Nida Khan, an accused in the Nashik TCS sexual harassment and religious coercion case, has been arrested in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. She is accused of targeting employees in a WhatsApp group, pressuring them to pray and eat non-vegetarian food, and advising women employees to adhere to Islamic traditions.
Sivagiri Mutt head Swami Sachidananda has requested greater representation for MLAs from backward class communities in the UDF government's Cabinet.
The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) has announced the ICSE and ISC results for 2026, revealing high pass percentages as girls outperformed boys.
The Supreme Court has ruled that mere swear words, profanities, and vulgar expletives, however offensive, do not amount to obscenity under Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code. The court clarified that for an utterance to be considered obscene, it must be lascivious, appeal to prurient interests, and have the tendency to deprave and corrupt minds. This ruling came while hearing a plea challenging a high court order confirming a conviction under IPC Section 294.
The 16th Census of India in 2026 will treat stable live-in relationships as marriages, according to the self-enumeration portal's FAQ section. The portal provides guidance on various housing and household-related questions for self-enumeration.
