Overview The Supreme Court on 25 March 2026 issued a two‑judge order stating that only persons professing Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism can claim Scheduled Caste (SC) status. The Indian National Congress, through General Secretary Randeep Surjewala , questioned the judgment, pointing out that the matter has been pending before a three‑judge bench since 2011. Key Developments The two‑judge bench ruled that converts to Christianity, Islam and other minorities cannot be classified as SCs. Congress highlighted procedural irregularities, asking why a larger bench was not involved when the issue has been under adjudication since 21 January 2011 . The party cited a commission headed by former CJI K. G. Balakrishnan , whose report is still awaited. Surjewala challenged the government's claim that the case only concerns the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 , not reservation. He raised parity concerns: Dalits converting to Sikhism or Buddhism retain SC status, whereas those converting to Christianity or Islam do not. Important Facts 1. The judgment rests on a literal reading of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 . 2. A three‑judge bench has been hearing a public interest litigation on the same issue since 2011, making the two‑judge decision potentially premature. 3. The 2022 Balakrishnan commission was tasked with examining the social‑economic impact of conversion on SC status, but its findings have not been