Srinagar, Apr 23: The J&K High Court today issued a notice to Government of India (GoI) on a petition pleading for extension of educational benefits to Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) who did not migrate to other parts of India and are living among the Kashmiri Muslims.
The court issued notice to GoI which was waived by the Assistant Solicitor of India and the Additional Advocate General of Jammu and Kashmir in the court respectively.
The concerned authorities have been asked to reply the notice within four weeks.
The court had earlier treated as Public Interest Litigation (PIL) a writ petition by Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti, a non-migrant Kashmiri Pandits grouping, seeking extension of admission benefits in various academic institutions in India for Kashmiri Hindus who did not migrate to other parts of India and are living along with Kashmiri Muslims here.
Observing that the relief claimed in the petition is in the larger public interest, the High Court announced that the petition is being treated to be filed in public interest.
Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti through its president Sanjay Tickoo had filed the writ petition seeking directions to the authorities concerned to take appropriate time-bound action on the representations it has made on April 09, 2018 and March 01, 2019.
On behalf of the petitioner, advocate Salim Gopkari submitted that the Samiti had made representations to the Union Home Ministry and Higher Education Ministry of Human Resource Development through their secretaries.
The petitioner in view of the two parliamentary standing committee reports had represented with the official respondents to extend concessions and facilities of the Kashmiri migrants to the Kashmiri Pandit community living in Kashmir valley.
Seeking the government concessions for better education and other related benefits under “Central/State Minority, Quota” or “SC/ST Quota”, the Samiti requested “the Special Quota provided to the Kashmiri Pandit migrants in professional colleges across the country be extended to the non-migrant 808 Kashmiri Pandit/Kashmiri Hindu families who are living in Kashmir valley.”
The petitioner also seeks directions for issuing necessary order and instructions to the concerned institutions, colleges and universities so that the deserving candidates get the benefit.
