Caste Is Not Community, Has No Place In Schools Or Societies: Madras High Court
The court held that societies registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975, must promote public causes, not caste identity
The Madras High Court recently ruled that caste-based associations/societies and educational institutions operating under caste-specific names and restrictive bylaws are unconstitutional and cannot continue as registered entities unless they amend their names, objectives, and membership criteria.
Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy, delivering a sharply-worded verdict, declared that such associations violate public policy and the constitutional vision of a casteless society.
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The court was hearing a batch of three writ petitions filed by caste-based associations—the South Indian Senguntha Mahajana Sangam, Tiruchengode Vatta Kongu Velalar Sangam, and The Poor Educational Fund—challenging government orders or seeking reliefs related to internal elections and registration renewals.
But instead of adjudicating the narrow disputes, Justice Chakravarthy took the opportunity to examine a larger question: Can courts entertain intra-fights of societies whose very objective is to perpetuate caste identity?
The court answered with a resounding no.
Calling caste a “social evil", the judge noted that Tamil Nadu’s casteism was not restricted to any religion and had even permeated among rationalists. “Caste cannot be ‘community’. It can at best be termed ‘com-dividy’," he remarked, criticising the hypocrisy of institutions that bear caste names while preaching the values of Ambedkar, Bharathiyar, and Thirukkural.
Justice Chakravarthy condemned honour killings, school-level caste-based violence, and the continued existence of caste associations masquerading as cultural or educational bodies. “Schoolchildren wear coloured bands, bring knives in schoolbags, and form caste gangs. The problem isn’t isolated," he noted.
Though the Tamil Nadu government had initially supported the court’s direction—citing a 2023 Madurai bench ruling and issuing a circular (No. 1/2024) to act against caste-based societies—it later backtracked, stating it would not file any further response. The court criticised this U-turn, stating the state could have at least said one line: “Perpetuation of caste is bad."
The court held that societies registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 1975, must promote public causes—not caste identity. It directed all caste-based societies to drop caste names from their titles, amend their objectives to remove caste perpetuation, and open membership to all. Unless they comply, their registrations must be cancelled within six months.
Crucially, the court extended the directive to schools and colleges—both private and government-run—that carry caste names. “It is painful that even in the 21st century, the Government allows such words in school names," the judge said, ordering de-recognition of institutions that fail to comply by the 2025–26 academic year.
The judgment also endorsed Justice K. Chandru’s One-Man Committee report, which had called for removing caste appellations from school names and public institutions.
The court concluded with a warning: “Unless associations and educational bodies abandon caste labels and objectives, they will not be entitled to relief from any court. Law is not static. It must march with the needs of society".
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