India: Kerala High Court Upholds Right to Change Religion in Official Records

The Kerala High Court has ruled that individuals cannot be restricted to their birth religion, affirming their right to adopt a new faith and have it reflected in official documents, Muslim Mirror reported yesterday.

Justice V.G. Arun made this statement while allowing two brothers, Lohith S and Logith, from Kochi, to update their school certificates after converting from Hinduism to Christianity.

The brothers, baptized at Malankara Catholic Church, had initially faced rejection when seeking to change their religion in school records, as there was no legal provision for such changes.

However, the court emphasized that the freedom to practice any religion is protected under Article 25(1) of the Constitution. It stated that even without a specific rule, individuals who embrace a new faith should see this change acknowledged in their records, as denying such updates could negatively impact their future.