The Supreme Court on Friday called for responses from the Central Government and the Delhi Government regarding a petition that challenges the current guidelines for issuing Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to children raised by single mothers.
The petition, presented through advocate Vipin Kumar, argues that the existing regulations mandate an OBC certificate from the paternal lineage—specifically the father, grandfather, or uncle—which discriminates against children of single mothers. The petitioner contends that this requirement contravenes constitutional protections and denies equal rights to children of single mothers within the OBC community.
Highlighting a discrepancy in the treatment of similar cases, the plea points out that children of single mothers from the Scheduled Castes (SC) or Scheduled Tribes (ST) categories are allowed to obtain caste certificates based on their mother’s status. This inequality, the petitioner argues, undermines the rights of OBC children who are equally entitled to benefits under the constitution.
The plea seeks a revision of the Delhi government’s guidelines, which currently do not accommodate the unique circumstances of single mothers within the OBC category attempting to secure certificates for their children. This includes situations where a single mother wishes to apply for an OBC certificate for her adopted child based on her own OBC status but is unable to do so due to the absence of a husband’s certificate.
The Supreme Court’s request for a detailed response from both the central and state governments underscores the judicial intent to address potential constitutional and legal discrepancies in the treatment of OBC children of single mothers. The court’s decision could pave the way for significant changes in how caste-based benefits are administered, particularly affecting those in single-parent families within the OBC category.
