Telangana HC Grants State Four Weeks to Respond to 'No Caste, No Religion' PIL

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Thursday granted the state four weeks to file its counter in a PIL seeking the directions to the government to make a compulsory provision or column in the school education certificates providing for the ‘no caste’ and ‘no religion’ options.

The PIL was filed in 2017 by D.V. Ramakrishna Rao requesting the court to prevent authorities from requesting social identity information from individuals who are unwilling to disclose their religion and caste status. According to the petitioner, the current documentation format prevents individuals and parents of children from choosing ‘no religion’ or ‘no caste’ options.

The court had earlier granted time to submit its contentions but the government has not filed counters. On the request of additional advocate-general Imran Khan, the court gave the government a last chance.