Supreme Court verdict on ‘Backward Class’ certificate for Muslim converts should lead to national review of non-Hindus getting reservations

What happened: On 15 October 2026, the Supreme Court upheld the Madras High Court's quashing of Tamil Nadu G.O. (Ms) No. 31 of 9 March 2024, ruling that conversion alone cannot make a person a member of a notified Muslim backward community. Key numbers: G.O. (Ms) No. Why it matters: The ruling blocks executive orders from making conversion an automatic route to reservation benefits and may prompt challenges to Muslim OBC entries in other states, though it does not cancel them automatically.

On 15 October 2026, the Supreme Court upheld the Madras High Court's quashing of Tamil Nadu G.O. (Ms) No. 31 of 9 March 2024, ruling that conversion alone cannot make a person a member of a notified Muslim backward community.

The ruling blocks executive orders from making conversion an automatic route to reservation benefits and may prompt challenges to Muslim OBC entries in other states, though it does not cancel them automatically.