Caste of a person can't be changed by marriage: Madras HC

While hearing a petition seeking compensation under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 2014, the Madras High Court held that a person's caste is determined by birth and cannot be changed as a result of marriage.

Chennai:The Madras High Court on Friday reiterated that the caste of a person cannot be changed as a result of marriage, as it is determined by one's birth.

The court was hearing a petition filed by K Shanthi, who was allegedly a victim of offences punishable under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 2014. She was seeking compensation of Rs 1,50,000.

Additional PP S Chandrasekaran submitted that she was not eligible for the compensation as she belonged to the Scheduled Caste only by birth. Her husband had converted to Christianity and belonged to the Backward Class, and as a result, even she belonged to the Backward Class, he added.

However, Justice Anand Venkatesh dismissed the argument and said that just because her husband was a Christian did not mean that the petitioner too was a Christian. He said that there was no material to show that even the petitioner had converted to Christianity.

"Even if the husband of the petitioner is following Christianity, that does not automatically make the petitioner a Christian and her original status, wherein, she belongs to the Scheduled Caste community, will continue," he ruled.

Caste of a person is not affected by marriage, he reiterated.

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