The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider a plea to order amendments to rules to enable children of single mothers from the OBC communities to be granted caste certificates without being asked to furnish documents from the paternal side.

"Considering the importance of the matter and subject to the order of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, the matter be placed for final hearing on July 22,” a bench of Justices K.V. Viswanathan and N. Kotiswar Singh said in a brief order.

The bench passed the order on a petition filed by Delhi-based Santosh Kumari from the OBC community, challenging the rules across the country that mandates the issuance of caste certificates for education and jobs on the basis of paternal lineage only and not on the basis of the mother’s identity.

According to the petitioner, this creates difficulties for a large number of women who are divorced, separated or widowed in obtaining OBC certificates for their children.