The SC/ST Rights Forum, an organization working to protect the rights of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes community has lodged a formal complaint with the Andhra Pradesh government, alleging the improper issuance of Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates to a Christian family in Vemulapalem village, Gudur Mandal, Tirupati District. The complaint, addressed to the Chief Secretary, seeks action against both the certificate holders and the officials responsible for issuing these certificates, citing violations of the Constitutional (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950.
The forum referenced an order from the Andhra Pradesh Lokayukta, dated August 12, 2024, which highlights the findings of the District Level Scrutiny Committee (DLSC). The committee confirmed that T. Lakshman Rao and his family members had converted to Christianity, disqualifying them from receiving SC status. Based on the DLSC’s recommendation, the Tirupati District Collector was directed to revoke the SC certificates issued to the family.
Villagers from Vemulapalem initially raised concerns about the misuse of SC benefits by the Christian family in 2021, filing multiple complaints with the Gudur Mandal Tahsildar and the then-Nellore District Collector. These complaints, however, were reportedly ignored, prompting the villagers to escalate the matter to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and the Lokayukta.
Under directives from the NCSC and the Lokayukta, the District Collector referred the case to the DLSC, leading to the eventual revocation of the certificates.
The SC/ST Rights Forum also urged the government to impose fines and penalties on individuals holding false SC certificates, as well as on the officials responsible for issuing them. They referenced a circular issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2019, which called for strict action against such violations, in line with recommendations from the Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The forum emphasized the need for stronger verification procedures to prevent the issuance of false SC certificates in the future and called for accountability from officials who fail to follow proper protocols.
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