PIL in HC to implement law on issuing caste certificates to converted Buddhists

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has sought responses of the Centre and the AAP government on a PIL seeking implementation of a law mandating issuance of caste certificates to those scheduled caste (SC) persons who converted to Buddhism.

The plea has claimed that the implementation of the Constitution (Schedule Caste) Order (Amendment) Act of 1990 would enable scheduled caste persons who have embraced Buddhism to get caste certificates, a benefit which is available to them only in Maharasthra.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A J Bhambhani issued notices to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and the Delhi government seeking their stands on the issue raised in the petition filed by lawyer Rahul Mohod.

The petitioner has claimed that the Act has been in existence for over 28 years, but has not yet been implemented anywhere in the country except for Maharashtra.

"In spite of the clear mandate under the aforesaid law, the public authorities in the pretext of not having appropriate order denied to execute the Constitution (Schedule Caste) order (Amendment) Act, 1990 for the people of Delhi who are converted Buddhist to certify them as a member of Schedule Caste community for the last 28 years," Mohod has said in his plea.

The petition seeks implementation of the Act in Delhi as well as the rest of India.

The court has directed the Centre and the Delhi government to indicate their stands before the next date of hearing which is August 20.