The high court in India’s Chhattisgarh State has ruled that the tribal status of a person will not alter if they change their religion to Christianity, stressing they can still enjoy state concessions aimed at improving the life of indigenous people.

The ruling was handed down as the court dismissed an election petition against Amit Jogi, the son of former state chief minister Ajit Jogi. The petition was put forward by Sameera Paikara, a member of the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Amit Jogi won a seat reserved for tribal candi-dates in the 2013 state elections, but his victory was challenged by Paikara who took it to court.

Paikara argued Jogi could no longer claim tribal rights because his family converted to Christianity. “It can be presumed that even if the respondent adopted Christianity, his right of status of the Kanwar tribe cannot be taken away,” the court ruled on Feb. 1.

Hard-line Hindu groups — with BJP backing — have opposed Christians converted from tribal communities enjoying government benefits such as the reservation of seats in elected bodies, educational institutions and government jobs.