Judgment

HIDAYATULLAH, C.J.I. :- This appeal arises from the decision of the Andhra Pradesh High Court dated August 21, 1967 by which an election petition filed by the present appellant Goka Ramalingam to question the election of the answering respondent Boddu Abraham was dismissed. The matter concerns the Cheriyal (Scheduled Caste) constituency in the election to the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly held in February 1967. Three candidates had offered themselves for election. Two of them we have already named, the third is one Devadanam. The answering respondent obtained 15000 and odd, appellant-election petitioner 12000 and odd and Devadanam 7000 and odd votes. The election petition was based only on one issue, namely, that the respondents who had stood for a scheduled caste Reserved seat had "converted themselves into Christianity long time back and they continue to profess the said religion Christianity even today." Under the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, it is provided as follows :

"(2) Subject to the provisions of this Order, the castes, races or tribes of parts of, or groups within, castes or tribes, specified in Parts I to XIII of the Schedule to this Order shall, in relation to the States to which those parts respectively relate, be deemed to be Schedule Castes so far as regards members thereof resident in the localities specified in relation to them in those parts of that Schedule.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in paragraph 2, no person who professes a religion different from the Hindu or the Sikh religion shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste."

It would therefore appear that if the answering respondent and Devadanam were not members of a named scheduled caste (in this case the Madiga caste) they were not eligible to stand for election for the Reserved Seat. The case as put forward in the High Court was that these two candidates had themselves got converted into Christianity a long time ago and that they did not therefore profess Hindu religion although in the plea it is stated affirmatively that they profess Christian religion. The case went to trial on this plea and the issues framed were as follows :

"1. Whether the respondents who admittedly once belonged to "Madiga" community embraced Christianity and professed the religion of Christianity at the time of election and hence respondent No. 1 was not qualified to be chosen to fill the seat in the Assembly of the State as per Section 5 (a) read with Rule 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 (C. O. 19 dated 10-8-50)?

2. Whether the nomination papers of both the respondents were improperly received and as a result thereof the result of the election has been materially affected?

3. What is the effect of admission of respondent 2 in his W. S. as to his status on this election petition?"

Evidence was led to prove that the answering respondent was converted to Christianity. This evidence was not accepted by the High Court. As regards the other respondent, he went out of the fight admitting that he was a Christian and nothing more need be said of him.

2. It appears that while this case was going on the learned Judge was informed that a Register of all converted Christians was maintained by the church. He accordingly sent for the Register and marked it as Ex. C-1. In the judgment the learned Judge gives his order: pertaining to this action. It reads as follows :

"I may mention here that since it came out in the evidence of R. W. 2 that the names of all converts to Christianity within the jurisdiction of Hanumakonda Baptist Mission would be entered in the General Record of the Field Association, Houmakonda, and that register was filed as an exhibit in a suit pending in the District Court at Warangal, I summoned it and marked it as Ex. C-1. I gave opportunity for the lawyers appearing on both sides to inspect the register and make their submissions. The entries relating to Dharmasangaram village are to be found in pages 50 to 51 a