On dated 20 June 2025 the Bombay High Court dismissed the plea of 18-year-old Sujal Mangala Birwadkar, who sought Scheduled Caste status through his mother’s 'Chambhar' caste despite his father being from the non-SC 'Hindu Agri' community. Though raised by his mother post-divorce, the Court held that merely having a Scheduled Caste parent is insufficient to claim caste-based benefits. Citing Swanubhuti Jivraj Jain v. State of Maharashtra, the Court emphasized that claimants must show actual experiences of caste-based humiliation, deprivation, and marginalization. The Court found that the petitioner had a privileged upbringing, attended Kendriya Vidyalaya, and did not face social disadvantages. His mother's financial stability and the family's business background further weakened the claim. Reinforcing a crucial legal principle, the Court ruled that caste-based reservation requires proof of lived discrimination, not just birth-based association, and dismissed the petition accordingly.