Supreme Court transfers to itself petitions against NCM Act

New Delhi, January 8

The Supreme Court has transferred to itself petitions against the NCM Act, 1992, from Gauhati, Meghalaya & Delhi High Courts. The order came from a Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul on a petition filed by Delhi BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay. The petitions challenged the validity of Section 2(c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, and certain provisions of the National Commission for Minority Education Institution Act, 2004.

Upadhyay had submitted that the SC should hear all cases on the issue to avoid the multiplicity of litigation and conflicting views on the interpretation of Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution that deal with the protection of interests of minorities, and the right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions, he said.

On the request of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, the Bench gave four weeks to the Centre to file its response and two weeks to the petitioners to file their rejoinder and posted the matter for hearing after seven weeks. — TNS