Shun practice of mentioning caste or religion of litigants in cases: SC
New Delhi, Jan 29: The practice of mentioning caste or religion of litigants in court cases must be shunned, the Supreme Court has said while directing its registry and all other courts to stop it immediately.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah directed all high courts to ensure that the caste or religion of a litigant does not appear in the memo of parties in any petition filed before HCs or subordinate courts under their jurisdiction.
"We see no reason for mentioning the caste/religion of any litigant either before this Court or the courts below. Such a practice is to be shunned and must be ceased forthwith.
"It is therefore deemed appropriate to pass a general order directing that henceforth the caste or religion of parties shall not be mentioned in the memo of parties of a petition/proceeding filed before this Court, irrespective of whether any such details have been furnished before the courts below," the bench said.
The top court passed the order while allowing a transfer petition in a marital dispute pending before a family court in Rajasthan.
The apex court expressed surprise that the caste of both the husband and wife was mentioned in the memo of the parties.
The counsel for the petitioner informed the court that if the memo of parties as filed before the courts below is changed in any manner, the Registry raises an objection, and in the present case, as the caste of both the parties was mentioned before the court below, he had no option but to mention their caste in the transfer petition.
The top court directed that its order shall be brought to the notice of the members of the Bar as well as the Registry for immediate compliance.
"A copy of this order shall be placed before the Registrar concerned for perusal and for circulation to the Registrar Generals of all the High Courts for strict compliance," the bench said.
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India, Jamaica agree to boost trade, skilled mobility: Jaishankar
Kingston (PTI): India and Jamaica agreed to further strengthen trade linkages and explore cooperation for recruitment and mobility of skilled professionals, including healthcare workers and teachers, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said.
Addressing a joint press conference here after talks with his Jamaican counterpart Kamina J Smith on Monday, Jaishankar said the discussions were comprehensive, and they reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties, identifying new avenues to deepen the partnership.
"We signed several important agreements and discussed effective implementations of MOUs which have been recently concluded in the fields of digital transformation, cultural exchange, sports and digital payments to ensure tangible outcomes on the ground," he said.
India recognised Jamaica's growing role as a logistics hub and gateway to the Caribbean for trade and investment, Jaishankar said.
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"We agreed to further strengthen trade, business and investment linkages, explore cooperation for recruitment and mobility of skilled professionals, including nurses, healthcare workers and teachers," he said.
The two sides also discussed expanding cooperation in defence and security, healthcare, digitisation, agriculture, education and infrastructure, the minister said.
Highlighting development cooperation as a key pillar of ties, Jaishankar noted the successful completion of the Improving Rural Livelihoods Project in Kitson Town in March 2026, implemented with Indian assistance of USD 1 million under the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, benefiting over 200 individuals and impacting thousands more.
He said India is also discussing the feasibility of establishing an artisan empowerment hub in Jamaica and reiterated support for the country's recovery following Hurricane Melissa.
As part of humanitarian assistance, India has supplied relief material, deployed a medical team and is in the process of providing 30 dialysis units. It is also sending 40 fishing boats and 200 GPS units to aid recovery efforts.
The ministers reaffirmed close cooperation in multilateral fora and discussed issues such as reformed multilateralism, climate justice and priorities of the Global South.
India appreciated Jamaica’s support for its candidature for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for 2028-29.
Both sides strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and called for early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
Jaishankar also highlighted growing people-to-people ties, noting the popularity of yoga and Ayurveda in Jamaica and the contribution of the Indian diaspora to the country’s development.
He announced a contribution of two million Jamaican dollars towards celebrations marking 181 years of the arrival of Indians in Jamaica on India Heritage Day.
According to the website of the High Commission of India in Kingston, Jamaica has an Indian diaspora of around 70,000 people whose forefathers came mostly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as indentured labour between 1845 and 1917. Some also came from South India.
The diaspora constitutes around 3 per cent of Jamaica's population and continues to nurture an abiding interest in Indian culture, music, dance and history, serving as a cultural bridge between the two countries. May 10 is observed as India Heritage Day in Jamaica.
Later in the day, Jaishankar interacted with Jamaica’s industry and business leaders, underlining the need to deepen economic engagement as countries diversify partnerships globally.
“Emphasised that as we all diversify and seek reliable partners, the imperative to deepen India-Jamaica business ties is that much stronger,” he said in a social media post, noting that the potential for bilateral and regional economic cooperation should be "explored more vigorously".
He also appreciated Industry Minister Aubyn Hill for convening the interaction with business leaders.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
