Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court has issued a landmark directive ordering the central government to remove all caste-glorifying symbols, such as stickers and flags, from vehicles and social media platforms. In a significant move to promote social equality, the court also mandated that schools incorporate anti-casteism lessons and conduct regular awareness campaigns to combat deep-seated caste-based discrimination.
The verdict emerged during a hearing on a criminal case involving Praveen Chhetri from Etawah, who had sought the quashing of proceedings against him in an alcohol smuggling case. While refusing to quash the case, the court delivered a sharp rebuke to the police for their continued practice of maintaining caste entries in official documents.
The bench had previously summoned the Director General of Police (DGP) in March, challenging the legality of recording an individual’s caste. The DGP defended the practice as necessary for identification, but the court firmly rejected this argument, pointing to the availability of modern identification technologies such as fingerprints, Aadhaar, mobile numbers, and parental details.
Consequently, the court instructed the state government to immediately remove columns for caste and religion from all police forms, making an exception only for cases pertaining to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to protect benefits under affirmative action policies. Additionally, all signboards at police stations that glorify any particular caste are to be taken down.
Background: On April 29, 2023, Praveen Chhetri and others were intercepted during a vehicle check in Etawah, leading to the recovery of 300 bottles of illicit liquor from vehicles bearing fake number plates. While police alleged Chhetri was a key figure in a smuggling network, he contended he was merely offering a lift during a family event and had no connection to the liquor. It was during these High Court proceedings that the mention of caste in police documents caught the judge’s attention, triggering a wider judicial examination that culminated in this sweeping directive against caste glorification. This order represents a robust push toward caste neutrality in public life, emphasizing the state’s duty to adopt modern, non-discriminatory methods for identification and to foster a more equitable society.
