New Delhi, 31st January: Expressing displeasure over the Centre not responding to a petition challenging the formation of the Minorities Commission and the Minorities Education Commission, the Supreme Court has imposed a fine of Rs 7,000 on the Central Government. The next hearing on the matter will be held in March.
BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay has said in the petition that Hindus are a minority in 10 states but they have not been declared a minority so far. The petition has sought to identify the state-wise minorities according to the population.
The petition said that Hindus, Bahรก’รญs and Jews are de facto minorities in many states, but they do not have the right to open and run educational institutions of their choice due to lack of minority status there.
The petition also challenges the validity of section 2(f) of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act, 2004.
The Supreme Court had issued a notice to the Central Government on August 28 2020.
During the hearing today, the Central government sought two more weeks to file its reply. Thereafter, the court imposed a fine of seven and a half thousand rupees.
