Telangana HC adjourns hearing on PIL for bar on caste in birth certificate

A two judge panel of the Telangana High Court comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Abhishek Reddy on Tuesday dealt with a public interest litigation which sought no religion and no caste columns in the birth certificate.

The writ petition was filed by Swaroopa and David Ajjpagu, a city-based couple. The petitioners pointed out that they gave birth to a child on March 23, 2019, at Kothakota, Wanaparthy district, and approached the Kothakota municipal authorities for birth certificate and opted for such a document without religion or caste column in it.

However, their



application was not accepted as the ‘religion’ and ‘caste’ columns were not filled up. They also submitted that they got married without following any traditions related to religion or caste and sought directions for issuance of birth certificate without mention of religion or caste in it.

After hearing the petitioners, the panel adjourned the case by four weeks directing the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, the Registrar General, Census, Commissioner of Municipal Administration, Telangana and Municipal Commissioner, Kothakota, to file their responses.