The First Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan ordered notice to the Tamil Nadu Home Department, Revenue Department and Law Department, and posted the matter for further hearing after four weeks.

Actor-director Radhakrishnan Parthiban has filed a writ petition before the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to enable the issuance of a “No Caste, No Religion” certificate by enacting the necessary law and issuing appropriate Government Orders and guidelines.

The Madras High Court observed that a Division Bench of the High Court had already directed the Tamil Nadu government to issue such certificates. The Court further observed that the benefit should not be confined to Parthiban alone but should be made available to society at large.

Parthiban also submitted before the Court that he had earlier assured it that he would file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) after the formation of the new government.

Accordingly, he has sought directions to the Tamil Nadu government to issue the necessary Government Orders with specific instructions to Revenue Department authorities to positively entertain applications seeking a “No Caste, No Religion” certificate.

In his petition, Parthiban contended that the Government of Tamil Nadu has the legislative competence to enact a law enabling the Revenue Department to issue certificates declaring that a person belongs to “No Caste, No Religion.” He submitted that such legislation would not conflict with any existing law or infringe upon the legislative powers of the Union Government.

Parthiban has therefore prayed for a direction to the respondents to enact the necessary legislation and issue appropriate Government Orders, circulars and directions to Revenue Department officials, enabling them to issue certificates stating that an applicant belongs to “No Caste, No Religion,” along with such further orders as the Court may deem fit in the interest of justice.