Madras High Court Slams Caste-Based Discrimination Over Access to Water, Calls It ‘Pathetic’

The Madras High Court expressed shock over Scheduled Caste members being forced to wait while others accessed water from a common tap in Tamil Nadu’s Tenkasi district.

Justice RN Manjula, while hearing a bail plea in a caste abuse case, called the situation “pathetic” and said such discrimination persists despite protective laws.

The Court took note of the victim's struggles and directed the Tenkasi District Collector to ensure equal access to water, regardless of caste.

The Court emphasised the need for practical solutions, not symbolic gestures, and ordered sufficient water connections across all streets to prevent any community from being deprived of basic resources.