The Tamil Nadu Assembly adopted a resolution seeking to bring Dalit Christians under the ambit of reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC).
The resolution stated that Dalit Christians should also benefit from reservation like Buddhists and Sikhs.
As per the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order of 1950, no person belonging to a religion other than Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism can be deemed Scheduled Caste and hence cannot avail reservation.
M. Karunanidhi had demanded the same in 1996, 2006, and 2011.
The central government was set up Justice K.G. Balakrishnan Commission in October 2022 .
It is tasked to consider the pleas of Dalits Christians and Muslims to be included in reservation quotas.
The Sachar Committee (2005) had recommended reservation for Dalit Christians and Muslims.
The Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission (2007) had also recommended deletion of Para 3 of the Presidential Order of 1950.
Para 3 in the order said that any non-Hindu could not be regarded as a scheduled caste.
This order was amended in 1956 to include Sikhs, and in 1990 the Buddhists, among the scheduled castes.
Now, it says that nobody who is not a Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist can be a scheduled caste.