HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has issued a notice to the state government, asking for its response to a public interest litigation (PIL) that urges the court to restrain authorities from seeking social identity information from individuals who are unwilling to disclose their religion and caste status in public records.
A division bench, led by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe, granted three weeks to the government to file a counter affidavit in the matter. The PIL, filed in 2017 by DV Ramakrishna Rao and Saladi Clarence Krupalani alleges a lack of action by the union and state governments regarding their representation for including options such as ‘No Religion’ and ‘No Caste’ in various government records.
The petitioners argue that the existing format prevents individuals and parents of children from opting for ‘No Religion’ and ‘No Caste’. This denial persists despite their explicit choice to identify as such, given the absence of specific provisions in government forms.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the prevailing documentation formats, the petitioners maintain that individuals and parents opting for a non-religious and no-caste identity face systemic exclusion due to the absence of appropriate provisions in government forms. This, they argue, is contrary to the constitutional guarantees of equality, freedom, and the right to life, as well as the right to freedom of religion.