SC to Hear Pleas Regarding the Identification of Minorities

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India had a batch of pleas seeking the identification of minorities at the state level on its list of works on Monday.

A Bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah is to take up the hearing on several issues related to the identification of minorities. These pleas also challenge the National Minority Commission Act of 1992 and the National Commission for Minority Education Institutes Act of 2004.

One of the pleas filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay sought directions for creating guidelines for the identification of minorities at the state level as the Hindu community is a minority in ten states of the country.

In a previous hearing, the bench expressed displeasure over the non-submission of the comments regarding the issue from six states and union territories. "We fail to appreciate why these States should not respond. We give the last opportunity to the Central government to obtain their responses failing which we will presume that they have nothing to say," mentioned the Court.

According to Attorney General R. Venkataramani, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Lakshadweep, Rajasthan and Telangana had not given the necessary replies while the rest of the states and UTs have successfully done the same.

The Centre had informed the Apex Cout that it had held consecutive meetings with all states, UTs and other stakeholders regarding the problem. While many had given their statement, a few did not and a ‘last reminder’ was given on December 21.

One of the petitions mentioned, "the petitioner has prayed to put restrain on the government of India from placing reliance/acting upon and implementing the Sachar Committee report, submitted on November 17, 2006, for running/initiating any scheme/s in favour of Muslim community or for any other purpose".

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