In a landmark decision aimed at curbing caste-based discrimination and promoting social harmony, the Uttar Pradesh government issued a comprehensive order banning caste references in police records, vehicles, public signage, and political rallies. This directive follows a recent judgment by the Allahabad High Court that criticized the practice of caste identification in official documents and public spaces as a source of social division and prejudice.
Uttar Pradesh Government directs amendments to Standard Operating Procedures and Police rules, following the orders of the Allahabad High Court to end caste based discrimination.
— ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2025
Field denoting the caste of criminals in Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems to be deleted… pic.twitter.com/9RCDeMyrE0
The High Court ruling, delivered on September 16, 2025, in the case of Praveen Chhetri vs. Uttar Pradesh State, mandated the removal of all caste-based mentions in First Information Reports (FIRs), arrest memos, seizure records, police station notice boards, and other official police documents. The court declared that noting caste amounts to identity profiling that corrupts judicial thinking and violates fundamental constitutional rights. The HC observed that such practices promote prejudice, reinforce societal divisions, and undermine Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s constitutional vision of equality.
In direct compliance with these judicial directives, the Uttar Pradesh Home Department issued a formal order signed by Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar, instructing all police and administrative officials to eliminate caste identifiers from records and public exhibits. The order explicitly calls for:
The removal of caste fields from all police records and replacing caste data with the mother’s name alongside the father’s or husband’s name to ensure proper identification.
Immediate erasure of caste references and slogans from police station notice boards, vehicles, and all public signage.
The development of a regulatory framework to amend the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) to explicitly ban caste-based slogans and stickers on both private and public vehicles, with strict penalties for offenders.
Removal of signboards or proclamations in rural towns, kasbas, tehsils, and city colonies that glorify caste or declare geographical areas as caste-specific territories.
A blanket ban on caste-based political rallies across Uttar Pradesh, stating that such gatherings incite caste struggle, are detrimental to public order, and threaten national unity.
Furthermore, recognising the digital age’s impact on societal perceptions, the Uttar Pradesh government will also strengthen enforcement of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to monitor and act against caste-glorifying or hate-inducing content circulating on social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp. The state plans to enhance media literacy campaigns targeting youth to foster awareness and sensitivity against casteism.
To ensure effective implementation, a Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism will be established, enabling citizens to anonymously report violations via portals and mobile applications. This mechanism is designed in collaboration with the ministry of road transport and highways, ministry of electronics and information technology, the Press Council of India, and civil society organisations dedicated to caste equity and digital rights.
The directive clarifies that exemptions to this ban will apply only in legally mandated situations, such as cases registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, where caste identification remains necessary for investigation and prosecution.
The Uttar Pradesh government’s policy also mandates that police manuals and standard operating procedures (SOPs) be updated accordingly to institutionalise these changes across all law enforcement and administrative levels in the state.
The order condemns the installation of caste glorifying signboards or markings that declare certain areas as ‘caste estates’ or territories, calling for their immediate removal and stringent measures to prevent future occurrences.
Political implications of the order are significant, given the centrality of caste identities in Uttar Pradesh’s electoral politics. The ban on caste-based rallies and public displays will reshape political strategies ahead of the 2027 assembly elections, affecting both ruling and opposition parties traditionally reliant on caste mobilisation.
The order emphasised the government’s commitment to building an inclusive, constitutional society free from caste discrimination and social divisiveness. Following this order, senior police officials, district magistrates, and secretaries have been tasked with training and raising awareness among staff and local authorities to ensure the policy’s smooth enforcement and to foster a broader societal conscience against casteism.
