LUCKNOW: In a landmark judgment, the Allahabad High Court has taken strong exception to the trend of alleged caste glorification in society and directed the Uttar Pradesh government to remove caste references from FIRs, police documents, public records, motor vehicles, and public signboards.
Issuing a series of directives, the Court observed that such glorification of caste is “anti-national,” and asserted that reverence for the Constitution, rather than for lineage, is the highest form of patriotism and the truest expression of national service.
A single-judge bench of Justice Vinod Diwaker noted that for India to become genuinely developed by 2047, the deeply entrenched caste system must be eradicated.
“This goal demands sustained, multi-level efforts from all levels of government—through progressive policies, robust anti-discrimination laws, and transformative social programs,” the Court stated, while flagging the absence of a comprehensive law aimed at dismantling the caste system and its pervasive impact on society.
Caste Mention in FIRs Deemed Unconstitutional
The Court specifically condemned the practice of recording caste in FIRs, recovery memos, and investigation documents, calling such identity profiling a violation of constitutional morality.
Justice Diwaker made the observations while hearing a Section 482 CrPC plea, in which it was noted that the caste identities of the accused had been mentioned in both the FIR and the seizure memo.
Earlier, the Court had asked the Director General of Police (DGP), Uttar Pradesh, to justify the practice. The DGP, citing government-prescribed formats, defended it as a method to avoid identity confusion. However, the Court rejected the explanation, calling it a “legal fallacy.”
With modern tools like Aadhar, fingerprint data, mobile numbers, and parental information available, the Court said the practice of mentioning caste for identification was not only outdated but unconstitutional.
The bench further lamented that despite Supreme Court directives prohibiting the mention of caste in pleadings and cause titles, the UP Police continued to record caste in official documents.
"It is unfortunate that in the first quarter of the 21st century, the police are still relying on caste as a means of identification," the Court remarked.
Key Directives Issued by the Court
The Court issued comprehensive directives, including:
Deletion of caste columns from FIRs, recovery memos, arrest and surrender memos, final reports, and notice boards at police stations.
Inclusion of the mother’s name for identification, alongside the father's or husband’s name.
Amendments to Motor Vehicles Rules to remove caste-based slogans and identifiers from private and public vehicles.
Removal of caste-based signboards that label villages, towns, or colonies as belonging to a particular caste.
Monitoring and action against caste-glorifying content on social media platforms under the IT Rules, 2021.
Wider Implications and National Impact
The Court directed its Registrar to forward a copy of the judgment to the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, who is to place it before the Chief Minister, and also to the Union Home Secretary, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Ministry of Electronics and IT, and the Press Council of India.
Citing Dr B.R. Ambedkar, the Court observed: “Castes are anti-national because they generate jealousy and antipathy between caste and caste.”
It added, “A citizen’s true pride must lie not in caste but in character, not in legacy but in equality and fraternity.”
Justice Diwaker further noted that the caste system—"put in the grave" by the framers of the Constitution—is trying to raise its ugly head in new forms, posing a serious threat to secularism and national unity.
The Court called caste glorification through vehicles, signboards, and social spaces a "coded assertion of social power" that contradicts India's constitutional values, declaring such practices as "anti-national."
Call for a National Campaign Against Caste Prejudice
The Court also expressed concern over the absence of a national campaign against caste prejudice, similar to those conducted for cleanliness or gender equality.
“The law alone cannot change hearts and minds,” the bench observed, urging the government to launch education and awareness campaigns targeting caste discrimination—starting in schools and extending to public officials, community centers, and media platforms.
Justice Diwaker concluded by stating that the purpose of the observations was to invoke constitutional morality and awaken a sense of compassion and justice in the consciences of those holding the highest constitutional offices.