HC to hear PIL on converted Christians in reserved seats

Chennai: Madras high court on Monday agreed for an urgent hearing of a plea moved by Hindu Makkal Katchi seeking direction to the ECI to permit only Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists to contest from the constituencies reserved for people belonging to Scheduled Castes (SC) in the upcoming election and not persons who converted to Christianity, in line with a recent Supreme Court order.The first bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan will take up the petition for hearing on Tuesday. On Monday, when the bench began proceedings, advocate Karthigai Balan made a mention seeking urgent hearing of plea."Supreme Court order dated March 24, in Chinthada Anand case categorically made it clear that there cannot be any statutory benefit, protection, reservation or entitlement under the Constitution or under any enactment of Parliament or the state legislature for a person who is not deemed to be a member of SC as per Constitution (SC) Order, 1950," he said.A person ceases to be a member of SC by virtue of the Constitution (SC) Order upon professing any other religion, the petitioner said.