The Supreme Court stayed the Madras High Court’s decision that marriage under the Indian Christian Marriage Act, 1872, constitutes automatic conversion to Christianity and leads to loss of Scheduled Caste (SC) status. A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Prashant Kumar Mishra issued the stay order notice in response to a petition filed by Theroor Town Panchayat Chairman V. Amudharani, challenging the High Court ruling.
The controversy arose after the Madras High Court, in a verdict delivered by Justice L. Victoria Gowri, held that Amudharani, who married a Christian man in 2005 at St. Antony’s Church in Kulasekaramputhoor, ceased to retain her SC status under constitutional provisions. The High Court noted that voluntary submission to Christian marriage rites, including publication of banns, automatically changes a person’s socio-legal identity, irrespective of whether he or she has received formal baptism or not. This led the court to conclude that Amudharani now fell under the Backward Classes category and was ineligible to continue serving in the SC-reserved post of chairman of the panchayat.
The legal dispute began when petitioner V. Iyyappan challenged Amudharani’s eligibility for the post, arguing that her original status as a member of the Hindu Pallan community (SC) was nullified by her Christian marriage. The High Court emphasised that the Indian Christian Marriage Act does not allow civil interfaith marriages, and marrying under the Act effectively identifies both spouses as Christians for legal purposes. Citing the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, and relevant precedents, the court directed concerned authorities to disqualify Amudharani from the post of chairman of the Theroor town panchayat and take necessary action against her under Section 50(1)(ddd) of the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920. The Supreme Court’s intervention now puts the High Court ruling on hold, pending further hearings on the matter. The next hearing date is expected to be scheduled after the responses to the apex court’s notice are filed.
