Madras HC Says Islam Converts Cannot Claim Backward Class Stats Through Conversation, Strikes Down 2024 Tamil Nadu Govt Decision

Key Points

ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2026, the Madras High Court held that a person converting to Islam cannot claim the status of a Backward Class (BC) Muslim. Quoting the Prophet, the court held that to categorize certain sects as “backward” and some as “forward” is in conflict to Quranic injunctions. In addition, a 2024 Tamil Nadu government order that allowed converts to Islam from Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes, Denotified Communities or Scheduled Castes to be treated as BC (Muslim) for availing reservation, was declared unconstitutional.

A division bench, led by justices G R Swaminathan and P B Balaji, upheld an order that denied a plea filed by Sameer Ahamed. Sameer was born with the name “Paramasivam” to a Hindu couple in Thoothukudi district. In 2016, he embraced Isla, took on the name of “Sameer Ahamed, ”and married a woman as per Islamic rites and customs. Ahamed was seeking a “Muslim Lebbai” community certificate, as he was a follower of that particular community. However, the revenue department of Kathayar town in Tamil Nadu rejected his plea, after which he approached the high court with his complaint.

The Muslim Lebbai is a religious community found primarily in southern states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. It is identified as a Backward Class under the Backward Class Muslim or BC-M category.

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Rejecting Ahamed’s application, the court remarked that a convert to Islam cannot claim the status of Backward Class Muslim. “He is only a Muslim, and that’s all there is to it,” the bench remarked. The court also held that such community identities are determined by birth and cannot be acquired through religious conversion.

If a Hindu man were to convert to Islam, it would be “an exercise of one’s fundamental right Article 25 of the Constitution of India,” the court stated. But, if the convertee afterwards continues to claim the benefits of reservation, continued the court, it would trigger another debate on the “legality and legitimacy of that demand.”

Court Examines Tamil Nadu government order

The judges also examined a Tamil Nadu government order dated March 9, 2024, which allowed the issuance of Backward Class Muslim community certificates to individuals converting to Islam from Backward Class, Most Backward Class, or Scheduled Caste backgrounds.

The court held that this government order was inconsistent with earlier rulings of both the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court.

Observing that executive orders cannot override judicial precedents, the bench stated that community identities such as Lebbai and Rowther are determined by birth and cannot be acquired through conversion.

“Judicial verdicts cannot be altered by administrative orders. A specific community identity cannot be acquired through conversion,” the bench observed.

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Accordingly, the court ruled that the petitioner was not entitled to a 'Muslim Lebbai' community certificate. It also declared the March 9, 2024, government order invalid to the extent that it conflicted with binding judicial precedents.

Backward Class Muslims in Tamil Nadu

While remarking that the constitution prohibits discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sects, place of birth, etc, the judges reiterated that the state government does have some authority to make special provision for advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes.

As per Section 3(a) of the Tamil Nadu Act 45 of 1994, only seven Muslim sects are identified as the Backward Class Muslims by the state government. These are - Ansar, Deccani, Dubekula, Lebbais (including Rowthar and Marakayar, Mapilla, Sheik, and Syed. A Muslim who does not belong to any of the aforesaid sects cannot be called a BC Muslim, the court said.

(Edited by Anshika Verma)

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