Story perspectives

Supreme Court Upholds Ban on Reservation for Converts to Islam

By Drooid · Oct 16, 2026, 10:33 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Supreme Court upheld on October 15, 2026 a ruling denying reservation to converts to Islam.
DMK president M.K. Stalin urged Tamil Nadu to petition the verdict.
Stalin said denying reservation for conversion opposes social justice and the Dravidian Model.
CPI(M) secretary P. Shanmugam urged amending the law to grant reservation to converts.
MMK president M.H. Jawahirullah demanded immediate amendment of the 2007 act giving 3.5% reservation to Backward Class Muslims.

History

Historical Context

The 1992 Supreme Court judgment in Indra Sawhney upheld a 27 % OBC quota and a 50 % overall reservation ceiling, establishing the benchmark the Union cited when Tamil Nadu’s 2007 Backward Class Muslims Act set aside 3.5 % seats for Muslims. On 15 October 2026 the Court rejected reservation for Muslim converts, prompting leaders M. K. Stalin, P. Shanmugam and M. H. Jawahirullah to seek amendment, reviving the debate sparked by the 1992 ruling.

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Story summary

Supreme Court upheld on October 15, 2026 a ruling denying reservation to converts to Islam.
DMK president M.K. Stalin urged Tamil Nadu to petition the verdict.
Stalin said denying reservation for conversion opposes social justice and the Dravidian Model.
CPI(M) secretary P. Shanmugam urged amending the law to grant reservation to converts.
MMK president M.H. Jawahirullah demanded immediate amendment of the 2007 act giving 3.5% reservation to Backward Class Muslims.

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