2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Apr 14, 2026 05:16 AM IST
For the third time in over three years, the Centre has extended the tenure of the Commission of Inquiry, chaired by former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan, formed to examine the possibility of according Scheduled Caste status to people who have converted to religions other than Hinduism, Christianity, Sikhism or Buddhism.
The commission’s tenure has been extended by a period of two months, with effect from April 11 to June 10, 2026, stated a notification issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on April 9.
The commission was appointed in October 2022 for a two-year period. Its tenure was initially extended for one year up to October 10, 2025, and later for six months up to April 10. The third extension comes close on the heels of a March 24 Supreme Court ruling that the SC status is available only to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists and that conversion to any other religion will result in “immediate and complete loss of” caste status from the moment of conversion.
The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, issued under paragraph 3 Article 341 states that no person who professes a religion different from Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist religion shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste. The initial order only contained Hindus. Sikhs were included in 1956 and Buddhists in 1990 through legislations.
While the commission is yet to submit its final report, a case has been pending before the SC challenging the constitutional validity of the 1950 order. Dalit Christians had argued before the court that the existing restrictions were against the right to religious freedom.
VJ George, former President and national adviser, National Council of Dalit Christians, told The Indian Express that multiple NCDC delegations have met the Justice Balakrishnan Commission. He said it was not clear as to why the commission was taking this long to finalise its report and recommendations.
Mohammad Anis Mansoori, the president of the Pasmanda Muslim Samaj and national secretary of the Samajwadi Party said the umbrella Muslim organisation representing backward groups from the community had written to the inquiry commission seeking time.
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“We wrote to them a couple of times seeking time to depose. However, we did not hear back,” he said.
