How can caste appellations exist in names of streets, roads in Tamil Nadu even in 2026, asks Madras High Court

In a significant ruling on Tuesday (August 11, 2026), the Madras High Court expressed concern over the continued presence of caste appellations in street and road names in Tamil Nadu, despite multiple government orders and judicial directives since 1978. Justice N. Ramesh, in his inaugural order as a High Court judge, emphasized the urgent need for the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that judicial orders and executive directions are fully implemented, particularly by eliminating caste names from street and road names entirely.

The judge's attention was drawn to the existence of 'Pallar Street' in a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Sendhamangalam police in Namakkal district during a bail petition hearing. Ramesh inquired about the persistence of such names in the year 2026. He informed State Public Prosecutor R. John Sathyan that a government order from 1978 mandated local bodies to identify and rename streets and roads with caste appellations.

Additionally, the High Court had issued similar directives in 2018. Ramesh pointed out that naming a street or road after a caste has profound implications, as residents are identified by their caste, and these names appear in various official documents like ration cards, Aadhaar cards, and driving licenses. He also referenced a recent High Court order requiring the removal of caste appellations from the names of all schools and colleges in Tamil Nadu.

The judge stressed that the Tamil Nadu government's recent rebranding of the Adi Dravidar Welfare Department as the Social Justice Department to avoid caste references was incomplete without the complete removal of caste appellations from street and road names. After resolving the bail petition, the judge ordered the High Court Registry to file a suo motu case regarding the deletion of caste appellations from street and road names, to be reviewed by Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari.

Once the Chief Justice assigns the matter to a bench, the Chief Secretary is expected to submit a comprehensive status report on the government's efforts to ensure the complete elimination of caste appellations from road names.