Overview

• A division bench of Justices M. S. Ramesh and N. Senthilkumar overturned a single judge’s February 2024 refusal after H. Santhosh petitioned for a certificate confirming no caste or religion.
• The court ordered the Tamil Nadu government to issue a Government Order empowering revenue officials to grant such certificates state-wide.
• It directed the Tirupattur district collector and Tahsildar to issue the petitioner’s certificate within one month.
• The judges deemed renunciation of caste identity a laudable step to challenge caste-based discrimination.
• The bench rejected the revenue department’s argument on lack of authority as paradoxical, noting earlier certificates issued in Tirupattur, Coimbatore and Ambattur.