NAGPUR: The presence of a cross or pictures and statues of Jesus Christ at someone’s house cannot be treated as proof that the person converted to Christianity or abandoned his or her Hindu identity, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court has said.A division bench comprising Justices Mukulika Jawalkar and Nandesh Deshpande recently ruled that conversion cannot be inferred merely from religious symbols in a household, and concrete documentary evidence is a must to back such claims. The HC was hearing a petition filed by an Akola-based college student, challenging rejection of his application for a scheduled caste certificate. The Akola Caste Scrutiny Committee had concluded that the student’s forefathers had converted to Christianity and, so, he was not entitled to an SC certificate.Israel Iran WarUS-Israel-Iran War Live Updates: ‘Indian navy’s guest struck without warning’: Iran slams US after torpedo sinks warship IRIS Dena50 Israeli jets strike, destroy Iran Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s underground military bunker; IDF shares videoRussia helping Iran? Moscow providing real time intelligence to Tehran on American military assetsConversion claim must be backed by documents: HCThe authorities had relied on the presence of a cross and images of Christ in the applicant’s house, along with a school record from 1962 that described the family as Christian, to justify their decision. “Any allegation of conversion must be supported by documentation of baptism rituals or a baptism certificate,” the bench said. It said the scrutiny committee must examine whether formal conversion rituals took place. The petitioner said his family never formally converted. His grandfather described himself as a Christian in school records only to avoid caste discrimination, but no religious conversion took place, he added. The petitioner also relied on several official records to back his claim, including school and govt documents and caste validity certificate issued to a relative. After examining the material, HC found the reasoning adopted by district authorities unsustainable. Describing the decision of the Akola Caste Scrutiny Committee as “patently erroneous” and “perverse”, the court set aside the order. It then directed the authorities to issue an SC certificate to the petitioner.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosRow Over Electoral Roll Revision: Protest Held at Dharmatala in Kolkata’Real Players Are US, Russia, China’: Rahul Gandhi On Iran-Israel War, Warns Of India ImpactNitish Kumar’s Son Nishant To Enter Politics, Will Join JD(U) Soon In Signal Of Big Power ShiftNepal Poll Results: India Watches Closely As Border Dispute And ‘Big Brother’ Charge Loom’Jaishankar Should Respond’: Opposition Leaders Slam Modi Govt Over US Waiver On Russian OilWhy Is Congress Betting on Gaurav Gogoi While BJP Hits Pakistan Links?Health or politics? The real reason BJP changed West Bengal governorIAF Pilot Purvesh Duragkar Killed In Su-30MKI Crash Took Part In Op Sindoor, Met Family 10 Days AgoBengal SIR Row Decoded: Why Mamata Banerjee Is Launching Dharna Against EC Ahead Of PollsUS Waiver ON Russian Oil Sparks Row, Rahul Gandhi Blasts Modi Govt, Questions India’s Sovereignty123PhotostoriesLaughter Chefs: From Bharti Singh, Krushna Abhishek, Elvish Yadav to Tejasswi Prakash here’s how much these stars charge per episode10 regional summer drinks that will make you forget matcha and latteA look at Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s $4 billion car collection: from rare Rolls-Royces to iconic supercars and one-of-a-kind F1 machinesMarch-perfect destinations to visit in India under ₹10,000; check itineraryWhy your legs feel heavy or swollen by evening: Doctors reveal 5 circulation problems to watch for8 national parks that are home to the most iconic natural landmarksHow to make classic South Indian Onion Masala Dosa for dinnerInside Hardik Pandya’s luxurious car collection: 5 cars that define his style5 surprising facts about Mount Everest most climbers won’t tell you7 common family patterns that affect adult relationships123Hot PicksChina Military BudgetIran Mobile Missile LauncersMiddle East CrisisNitish KumarIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays March 2026Bank Holidays MarchTop TrendingAP SSC Hall TicketsBreanna StewartJai OpetaiaDak Prescotts ContractBengaluru Flight CancellationsNepal ElectionsMiddle East CrisisKarnataka BudgetNitish KumarRussia India Oil Deal
NAGPUR: The presence of a cross or pictures and statues of Jesus Christ at someone’s house cannot be treated as proof that the person converted to Christianity or abandoned his or her Hindu identity, the Nagpur bench of Bombay high court has said.A division bench comprising Justices Mukulika Jawalkar and Nandesh Deshpande recently ruled that conversion cannot be inferred merely from religious symbols in a household, and concrete documentary evidence is a must to back such claims. The HC was hearing a petition filed by an Akola-based college student, challenging rejection of his application for a scheduled caste certificate. The Akola Caste Scrutiny Committee had concluded that the student’s forefathers had converted to Christianity and, so, he was not entitled to an SC certificate.Conversion claim must be backed by documents: HCThe authorities had relied on the presence of a cross and images of Christ in the applicant’s house, along with a school record from 1962 that described the family as Christian, to justify their decision. “Any allegation of conversion must be supported by documentation of baptism rituals or a baptism certificate,” the bench said. It said the scrutiny committee must examine whether formal conversion rituals took place. The petitioner said his family never formally converted. His grandfather described himself as a Christian in school records only to avoid caste discrimination, but no religious conversion took place, he added. The petitioner also relied on several official records to back his claim, including school and govt documents and caste validity certificate issued to a relative. After examining the material, HC found the reasoning adopted by district authorities unsustainable. Describing the decision of the Akola Caste Scrutiny Committee as “patently erroneous” and “perverse”, the court set aside the order. It then directed the authorities to issue an SC certificate to the petitioner.
