UP Govt Takes Major Step Against Caste Discrimination; Mentions Of Caste In FIRs, Public Places Banned

In a significant step to curb caste-based discrimination, the Uttar Pradesh government has banned the mention of caste in public places and police records. The Allahabad High Court recently directed the state to prohibit the recording of caste alongside individuals’ names in FIRs, arrest memos, and other official documents.

Acting Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar has issued directives to all senior officials, including Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, the Director General of Police, police commissioners, district magistrates, SSPs, and SPs, to implement the order across the state. The directives also prohibit caste-based slogans, indicators on police notice boards, vehicles, signboards, and social media content. However, the ban does not apply to cases under the SC & ST Act.

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As part of the reform, the parents’ names, rather than caste, will now be recorded in FIRs and arrest memos. Police manuals and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will be amended accordingly. Additionally, the mother’s name will also be included in police forms to promote gender equality.

The order also enforces a complete ban on caste-based rallies, which is expected to impact political parties that rely on caste-based mobilisation, particularly ahead of the panchayat and upcoming assembly elections. Parties like the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party may need to revise their strategies, as caste-based content will no longer be permitted in political campaigns.

The High Court’s directives stem from a petition filed by Praveen Chhetri regarding a police action on April 29, 2023, in which the castes of accused individuals were mentioned in the FIR during a liquor seizure case. Justice Vinod Diwakar ruled that such references were contrary to constitutional values and directed their removal from police documents, notice boards, and any public signage.

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The court emphasised that technological methods are sufficient for identification, making caste references unnecessary and divisive. It also instructed strengthening IT rules to prevent caste-related content on social media and mandated a complaint mechanism for citizens to report violations. The High Court highlighted that eradicating caste discrimination is vital for achieving India’s development goals by 2047.