Raipur. The Chhattisgarh High Court has provided significant relief to those seeking caste certificates. The court stated clearly that if other family members, such as the father or sister, already hold a permanent caste certificate, the application cannot be rejected simply because the document is not from before 1950.

The case involved two siblings from Bilaspur district who had applied for permanent caste certificates. The administration returned their applications, stating that they did not have records prior to 1950 that documented their ancestral caste.

The High Court found this approach arbitrary, stating that the fact that the father and sister already possessed valid permanent caste certificates could not be ignored.

The court directed revenue officials to reconsider the application in accordance with the law and issue an order with reasons within 60 days. It also stated that additional documents may be requested if necessary, but returning the application without a valid reason is wrong.

The decision is expected to provide relief to thousands of people whose caste certificates were stuck due to lack of old reSa.