Kerala High Court urges leniency in SC/ST caste verification, citing constitutional rights

The Kerala High Court has directed authorities to exercise leniency when asking members of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities to prove their caste status. The court stated that denial of constitutionally guaranteed privileges should occur only in exceptional cases where apparent fraud is established through material independently available to the State.

The ruling emphasizes the protection of SC/ST constitutional rights while balancing the need to prevent misuse of affirmative action provisions. The court's directive aims to prevent arbitrary or excessive scrutiny that could deny legitimate beneficiaries their due privileges.