Madras High Court to Examine Backward Class Reservation for Christian Converts

The Madras High Court issued notice on a challenge to entries in Schedule I of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants (Conditions of Service) Act, 2016 concerning backward class status for Christian communities and converts. The petitioner questioned whether membership in the Church of South India could confer eligibility without evidence of backwardness. The bench considered the issue worthy of constitutional scrutiny and sought responses from state departments, the backward classes commission and the public service commission within eight weeks. The challenge remains pending, and the notice does not invalidate reservation categories or determine the eligibility of applicants under those entries.