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🧾 Context
- Case: H. Vinoth sought a ‘No Caste, No Community’ certificate from the Tirupattur Tahsildar, which was denied citing lack of official empowerment.
- A single judge had upheld the denial in February 2024, despite appreciating the applicant’s intent.
⚖️ Madras High Court Verdict (Division Bench)
- Bench: Justices M.S. Ramesh and N. Senthilkumar
- Outcome: Reversed the single judge’s order and allowed the writ appeal.
- Key Directive: Tamil Nadu government must issue a Government Order (G.O.) empowering revenue officials to issue such certificates.
🧠 Key Observations
- Laudable Intent: Court appreciated the applicant’s conscientious decision to reject caste and religious identity, calling it a step towards eradicating caste discrimination.
- Existing Precedent: Contradictory stance of the state noted—several similar certificates had already been issued by Tahsildars in Tirupattur (2019), Coimbatore (2022), and Ambattur (2022).
- Constitutional Backing:
- Article 25 ensures freedom of conscience and religion.
- Court emphasized that absence of rules or G.O. cannot override this constitutional right.
📌 Final Directions
- Tirupattur Collector and Tahsildar must issue the certificate to the appellant within one month.
- The judgment encourages the government to formalize the process and empower officials appropriately.
📣 Quote from the Judgment
“The desire of the appellant to shun caste and community is laudable and would be an eye opener for like-minded citizens.”
🔍 Significance
- Upholds individual autonomy in identity.
- Reinforces constitutional secularism and the right to opt out of caste-based identification.
- May act as a precedent for similar petitions across India.