The Ambedkar International Center (AIC), a US-based organization fighting against caste discrimination on Tuesday approached the California Supreme Court to be admitted as an amicus curiae in a case that involves caste discrimination in the workplace.
Amicus curiae, literally meaning "friend of the court", is a person or organization who is not party to the litigation at hand, but is allowed to advise the court on a point of law or fact directly concerning the lawsuit.
The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) vs Cisco Systems Inc, Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella case of caste discrimination in the workplace is scheduled for hearing on March 9.
California regulators last year sued Cisco Systems, saying an engineer faced discrimination at the company's Silicon Valley headquarters because he is a Dalit Indian.
The State of California alleges that a major tech-industry employer violated civil rights laws by discriminating against a worker of Indian-origin because he was born into a lower caste.
