Caste - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition caste

Definition :

Caste, Since a caste is a social combination of persons governed by its rules and regulations, it may, if its rules and regulations so provide, admit a new member just as it may expel an existing member. The rules and regulations of the caste may not have been formalised: they may not exist in black and white: they may consist only of practices and usages, C.M. Arumugam v. S. Rajgopal, (1976) 1 SCC 863: (1976) 3 SCR 82: AIR 1976 SC 939 (948). [Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950]

A caste is a horizontal segmental division of society spread over a district or a region or the whole State and also sometimes outside it. Homo Hierarchicus is expected to be the central and substantive element of the caste system which differentiates it from other social systems. The concept of purity and impurity conceptualises the caste system. There are four essential features of the caste system which maintained its homo hierarchicus character: (1) hierarchy; (2) commensality; (3) restrictions on marriage; and (4) hereditary occupation, K.C. Vasanth Kumar v. State of Karnataka, 1985 Supp SCC 714: 1985 Supp (1) SCR 352: AIR 1985 SC 1495.