The Supreme Court on Monday (June 23, 2025) decided to examine the “important” issue of amending extant rules to provide Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to the children of single mothers who belong to the backward sections of the society.

“The present writ petition raises an important issue about issuance of OBC certificates to children of single mothers wherein the mothers belong to OBC… This has to be heard,” a Bench headed by Justice K.V. Viswanathan observed.

The case was filed by a Delhi-based woman, and the apex court had sought responses from the Centre and the Delhi government in January. The Centre had argued that the matter required extended consideration, and States need to be arraigned as parties in the case before the top court. The Centre said the court ought to be frame guidelines on the question.

The Bench fixed the case for further hearing on July 22. It referred to a 2012 verdict, which had dealt with the question surrounding the status of a person one of whose parents belonged to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes.

The petition filed by Santosh Kumari, represented by advocate Dawneesh Shaktivats, said OBC certificates were not given on the basis of the caste identity of the mother. The applicant for an OBC certificate were compelled to produce the certificate of a relative on the paternal side.

“The inaction on the part of respondents to issue OBC certificates to children of single mothers on the basis of the latter’s OBC certificates was in contravention of the rights of the children who belong to the OBC category,” the plea said.

The petition also called it violative of the provisions of the Constitution as children of a single mother belonging to the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe category were granted caste certificates on the basis of her certificate.

The petition referred to the Delhi guidelines for issuance of OBC certificates, requiring the production of OBC certificates of any paternal blood relative, including father, grandfather or uncle.