A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a petition filed by Nikhil Kumar Punia, who claimed eligibility for admission as a minority candidate on the basis of his religious conversion.
File Photo: IANS
The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed strong disapproval over a plea by a person belonging to a dominant Hindu caste who sought the benefit of minority reservation after converting to Buddhism, describing the attempt as a “new type of fraud.”
A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a petition filed by Nikhil Kumar Punia, who claimed eligibility for admission as a minority candidate on the basis of his religious conversion.
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During the hearing, the Chief Justice questioned the petitioner’s caste background. “You are a Punia? What minority are you? Let me ask this bluntly now. Which Punia are you?” Chief Justice Kant asked.
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Counsel for the petitioner replied, “Jaat Punia.” The Bench immediately followed up, asking, “Then how minority?”
The petitioner’s counsel responded that Punia had converted to Buddhism and was therefore entitled to minority status. “He has converted to Buddhism. That is his right,” the counsel submitted.
Reacting sharply, the Chief Justice remarked, “Wow! This is a new type of fraud.”
The Court observed that the issue raised serious concerns regarding the misuse of reservation benefits and the manner in which minority certificates are being issued by State authorities.
Taking the matter forward, the Bench directed the Haryana government to clarify the legal framework governing the grant of minority certificates.
The Court sought specific information on whether individuals from upper-caste, general-category backgrounds could claim minority status solely on the basis of religious conversion.
“Let the Chief Secretary of Haryana inform the Court: What are the guidelines for issuing a minority certificate? Is it permissible for an upper-class, general-category candidate—who is above the economically weaker sections and who had declared himself as general in an earlier application—to subsequently declare himself a Buddhist minority?” the Court ordered.
The Bench made it clear that the State must place on record the applicable rules, safeguards, and eligibility criteria to prevent abuse of reservation policies intended for historically disadvantaged groups.
The matter is likely to be taken up for further hearing on February 13, 2026.
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