New Delhi: The Supreme Court ordered a deep inquiry to find out the authenticity of caste certificates issued to those claiming to be members of the Hindu Konda Reddis community in Tamil Nadu. The top court issued such an order after suspicion of the existence of a huge racket issuing caste certificates in Tamil Nadu, The Indian Express reported.
In an interim order pronounced by a bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan on February 25, 2025, the court said that caste certificate seems to be a big big problem in the State of Tamil Nadu, that thousands of them have been issued certifying people to be members of the Hindu Konda Reddis Community falling within Scheduled Tribe. The court said that prima facie, it appears to be a huge racket, which is extremely dangerous.
“We would like to ensure whether these certificates are genuine or not. We would also like to know in what manner such caste certificates have been procured by thousands of people in the area,” TIE quoted the court.
According to TIE, the apex court was hearing an appeal that challenged the April 22, 2019, Madras High Court judgment while asking the Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO), Mettur Dam, Salem district, to issue a community certificate to the son of the petitioner, A Pradeepa. The HC also directed that her community certificate, along with those of her brother, sister, close relatives and son, be referred “to the State Level Scrutiny Committee for verification of the genuineness of the same.”
Pradeepa, who claimed to belong to the Scheduled Tribe Hindu Konda Reddis Community, had applied for a caste certificate for her son but was declined. This was after an inquiry undertaken by the RDO. She then approached the Madras High Court.