Tamil Nadu High Court Issues Notice on Plea Challenging OBC Status for Christian Converts

Madurai , November 13, 2026: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has issued notice to the Tamil Nadu government on a petition challenging provisions that allow certain Christian communities and people who convert to Christianity to retain or claim Other Backward Class (OBC) status.

The petition argues that the inclusion of these communities in the state’s Backward Class (BC) and Most Backward Class (MBC) lists lacks adequate constitutional justification and could dilute reservation benefits intended for genuinely disadvantaged groups.

The court observed that OBC status is not permanent or automatic, and that the inclusion or continued retention of communities in the lists must be supported by constitutional grounds. A bench comprising Justices GR Swaminathan and MD Sumathi said the petition raised serious questions about the validity of the provisions and warranted closer examination.

The petitioner, G Kodeeswaran, a resident of Madurai belonging to the Kallar community, which is recognised as a Backward Class, recently applied for the Combined Civil Services Examination IV (Group IV Services).

He contended that reservation benefits meant for socially and educationally backward communities were being diluted through the inclusion of certain Christian denominations and converts to Christianity. According to his petition, these groups had not undergone the empirical assessment of social and educational backwardness required under Article 16(4) of the Constitution.

Kodeeswaran has challenged specific provisions in Schedule I of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants (Conditions of Service) Act, 2016. These include entries 17, 18, 66, 67 and 78, with the challenge to entry 78 concerning its inclusion of Christian Nadar, Christian Shanar and Christian Gramani communities, as well as entry 138 in Part A, which lists Backward Classes.

He has also questioned entries 20, 31, 32 and 33 in Part C, which identifies Most Backward Classes.

The petitioner maintains that these provisions collectively grant BC or MBC status to various Christian communities and people who have converted to Christianity. He further alleged that the state introduced the inclusions during the 1980s despite contrary views expressed by expert bodies, including the First and Second Backward Classes Commissions.

After considering the petition, the judges said it appeared to establish a prima facie case requiring substantial constitutional scrutiny. They described the issues raised as involving “deeply unsettling anomalies” and said there were serious doubts about the constitutional validity of the challenged entries in Schedule I.

The court consequently issued notice to the state government, seeking its response to the allegations. The matter has been adjourned for two months.

The proceedings will examine whether the disputed classifications meet the constitutional requirements governing reservations and whether their continued inclusion in Tamil Nadu’s BC and MBC lists can be legally justified.

The court has not yet delivered a final ruling on the petition. The claims made by the petitioner therefore remain allegations to be considered as the case proceeds.

Courtesy : The New Indian Express