The Supreme Court today gave a last opportunity to the Centre and asked it to take a decision within three months on a plea to grant minority status to non-Muslims in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justices A K Goel and D Y Chandrachud considered the submission of the central government that it needed more time to hold consultations with the state government and other stakeholders, if any.
Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre said the government has been holding consultations at various levels and eight weeks more time be granted to it to apprise the court about their stand on the PIL.
The bench was hearing a PIL filed by Jammu-based lawyer Ankur Sharma that in a Muslim majority state like Jammu and Kashmir, non-Muslims should have been granted minority status to avail benefits of various governmental schemes.
In February, the court had imposed a cost of Rs 30,000 on the Centre for not filing its reply to a PIL alleging that minority benefits are being enjoyed by majority Muslims in the state.
Jammu-based lawyer Ankur Sharma, in his plea, has alleged that benefits accruing to minorities were being taken away by Muslims who were in a majority in Jammu and Kashmir.
The plea also alleged that rights of religious and linguistic 'minorities' in the state were being "siphoned off illegally and arbitrarily" due to extension of benefits to "unqualified sections" of the population.
He has also sought directions for constitution of a minority commission in Jammu and Kashmir and extension of the National Minorities Commission Act to the state.
With Agency Inputs
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