Madras High Court Strikes Down Tamil Nadu Order Allowing Caste-Based Muslim Sub-Group Certificates After Religious Conversion

The Madras High Court struck down a Tamil Nadu government order allowing converts to Islam to obtain community certificates under specific Muslim sub-groups for reservation benefits. The court ruled that once a person converts to Islam, they are legally recognized only as Muslim and cannot be placed into a caste or sub-group based on birth. The bench stated Islam does not recognize social hierarchy, making such classification legally inconsistent and unconstitutional.