TN Elections: PIL by Hindu Makkal Katchi Leader Arjun Sampath in Madras HC Seeks Bar on Non-Hindu, Non-Sikh, Non-Buddhist Candidates from SC-Reserved Seats.

B Upendran | HENB | Chennai | April 3, 2026:: Ahead of the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, a significant legal development has emerged with a public interest litigation (PIL) filed before the Madras High Court seeking to restrict candidature in Scheduled Caste (SC)-reserved constituencies strictly to individuals professing Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism.

The plea, moved by Hindu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Sampath, urges the court to direct the state’s Chief Electoral Officer and all Returning Officers to rigorously scrutinize nomination papers and reject candidates who do not meet the constitutional criteria for SC status. The petition emphasizes that such scrutiny is essential to uphold the legal and constitutional framework governing reservations.

At the core of the plea is reliance on the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, which explicitly limits SC status to individuals professing Hinduism, Sikhism, or Buddhism. According to the petitioner, individuals belonging to other religions are not eligible to claim Scheduled Caste status and, therefore, cannot contest elections from constituencies reserved for SC communities.

The petition also cites a recent judgment of the Supreme Court of India dated March 24, in which the Court reaffirmed that “no person who professes a religion other than Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste.” The ruling described such disqualification as “categorical and absolute,” lending strong judicial backing to the petitioner’s claims.

The PIL comes in the backdrop of the Tamil Nadu Assembly election notification issued on March 30, under which 44 constituencies have been reserved for Scheduled Castes. The petitioner has argued that without strict enforcement at the stage of nomination scrutiny, the very purpose of reservation could be diluted, potentially allowing ineligible candidates to contest and thereby undermining constitutional safeguards.

Sampath further stated that he had submitted representations to the concerned authorities on March 30 and April 1, seeking immediate directions to enforce the eligibility criteria. However, he alleged that no action has been taken so far, prompting the move to approach the High Court.

In addition to the main plea, an interim application has also been filed, seeking urgent directions to election authorities to ensure strict compliance with eligibility norms before the deadline for verification of nomination papers. The petitioner has stressed that any delay in enforcing these norms could lead to irreversible consequences in the electoral process.

The matter is expected to come up for hearing soon, with potential implications for the conduct of elections in SC-reserved constituencies and the broader interpretation of constitutional provisions related to caste-based reservations.
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