Religious conversion doesn’t end a person’s ST status: HC ‘Tribal Identity & Community Links Also Imp’
Rajesh Kumar Pandeytnn 24.09.2026
Prayagraj: Allahabad High Court has held that conversion to another religion does not, by itself, result in the loss of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The court observed that whether a person continues to be a member of a Scheduled Tribe is a question of fact that must be determined by examining the essential attributes of tribal identity, including customary practices, social organisation, community life, and acceptance by the tribal community.
Justice Arun Kumar made the observations while relying extensively on Supreme Court’s 2026 judgment in Chintad Anand vs State of Andhra Pradesh and Others, which held that the determination of ST status depends on whether the claimant continues to retain tribal identity. The case arose from petitions filed by Ninhki alias Naimunisha, who claimed to belong to the Bhuiya Scheduled Tribe community. She challenged three orders passed by deputy collector, Sonbhadra, declaring land transfers in her favour void. The petitioner contended that she possessed a valid ST certificate and had purchased the land from members of the Gond Scheduled Tribe.
The HC clarified that there can be no blanket legal proposition that a person ceases to be a member of a Scheduled Tribe merely because of a change in religion. The court observed that even after conversion, a person may continue to belong to a Scheduled Tribe if tribal traits remain intact.
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