SC dismisses BJP leader’s PIL challenging minority status of Muslims, 4 other communities

News Network
December 17, 2019

New Delhi, Dec 17: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the validity of the Centre's 26-year-old notification according minority status to five communities — Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis, saying religion must be considered pan-India.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde refused to entertain the PIL filed by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking laying of guidelines to accord minority status based on state-wise population of a community.

"Religion must be considered pan-India. What is the problem if Muslims are majority in Kashmir and minority elsewhere in the country," the bench which also comprised Justice B R Gavai and Surya Kant said while dismissing the PIL.

Upadhyay, in his PIL, had sought framing of guidelines to grant minority status to a religious community based on their population in a particular state and claimed that Hindus, which are in minority in eight states, are deprived of minority benefits.

"Languages are restricted state wise. Religions don't have state borders. We have to take a pan-India approach. In Lakshadweep, the Muslims follow the Hindu law," the bench said.

It took note of submissions of Attorney General K K Venugopal, who was asked to assist the court, that there have been judgments of the apex court which say that minority can be decided based on all India population of a religious group.

During the brief hearing, the bench asked senior advocate Mohan Parasaran, appearing for Upadhyay, to show the judgments where it has been held that state-wise population can be considered for granting minority status.

It asked as to how there can be guidelines to decide this and observed, "I don't think we should entertain this".

The bench said languages have been used to create states and it is not the case with religion and hence minority status cannot be granted to a community based on state-wise population.

In his petition, the BJP leader had said Hindus, who are a majority community as per national data, are a minority in several northeastern states and in Jammu and Kashmir.

However, the Hindu community is deprived of benefits which are available to minority communities in these states, the plea had said.

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abdullah
 - 
Wednesday, 18 Dec 2019

BJP leader Ashwini Kumar is misleading the SC and wasting its valuable time.   This trouble maker should be fined for this.   He is not respecting Indian constitution and minorities (other religions).  

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News Network
January 1,2020

New Delhi, Jan 1: Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Mumbai has allowed banks that lent money to embattled liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya to utilize seized assets, news agency reported today quoting sources from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The court also said all parties affected by the order can appeal at the Bombay High Court till January 18.

Last month, a consortium of Indian banks petitioned a London court for ex-billionaire Vijay Mallya to be declared bankrupt over ₹9,000 crore in unpaid debts. It comes as Mallya, who founded the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines Ltd, faces extradition to his home country of India.

Mallya had fled India in March 2016 and has been living in the United Kingdom since then. The 64-year-old former Kingfisher Airlines is fighting extradition to India in relation of fraud and money laundering allegations arising out of the debt acquired from the banks.

Mallya remains on bail pending the UK High Court appeal hearing in the extradition proceedings brought by India in relation to fraud and money laundering charges amounting to ₹9,000 crores. He had been arrested on an extradition warrant back in April 2017 and has been fighting his extradition in the UK courts since then.

He was granted permission to appeal against his extradition order, which is scheduled in the Royal Courts of Justice in London for February.

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News Network
March 4,2020

New Delhi, Mar 4: The Supreme Court on Wednesday revoked the ban of cryptocurrency imposed by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 2018.

Pronouncing the verdict, the three-judge bench of the apex court said the ban was 'disproportionate'.

The bench included Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, Justice S Ravindra Bhat and Justice V Ramasubramanian.

The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), whose members include cryptocurrency exchanges, and others had approached the top court objecting to a 2018 RBI circular directing regulated entities to not deal with cryptocurrencies.

Advocate Ashim Sood, appearing for IAMI, submitted that Reserve Bank of India lacked jurisdiction to forbid dealings in cryptocurrencies. The blanket ban was based on an erroneous understanding that it was impossible to regulate cryptocurrencies, Sood submitted.

The petitioners had argued that the RBI's circular taking cryptocurrencies out of the banking channels would deplete the ability of law enforcement agencies to regulate illegal activities in the industry.

IAMAI had claimed the move of RBI had effectively banned legitimate business activity via the virtual currencies (VCs).

The RBI on April 6, 2018, had issued the circular that barred RBI-regulated entities from "providing any service in relation to virtual currencies, including those of transfer or receipt of money in accounts relating to the purchase or sale of virtual currencies".

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News Network
July 12,2020

Gurugram, Jul 12: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the whole world was appreciating India's successful fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking ahead of the mega tree plantation drive of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Officers' Training Academy in Kadarpur village here, the Home Minister also lauded the contribution of security forces in the battle against COVID-19 in the country.

"India is one of the most populous countries. Everyone thought how will a country like India battle COVID-19, there were apprehensions but today the whole world is witnessing how one of the most successful battles against COVID-19 has been fought here," the Home Minister said.

"In India's battle against COVID-19, all of our security forces are playing a huge role, nobody can deny it. Today, I salute these corona warriors. They have proved that they not only know how to fight terrorism but also against COVID with help of people," he added.

The Union Home Minister said that many jawans have given up their lives during the COVID-19 crisis phase and paid tributes to them.

"I have talked to families of those jawans and today once again I thank them, your sacrifice will not go waste. Whenever the history of the human race's fight against COVID-19 is written, the contribution of India's security forces will be mentioned in golden ink," he said.

He also hailed the plantation drive and said that trees planted today should be taken care of by the jawans till they reach maturity, he added the trees chosen for plantation today consisted mostly those which had a long life and would help the generations to come.

Together the CAPFs have targeted to plant around 10 lakh tree saplings across the country today. Heads of all the CAPFs or their representatives were present in the event held at Gurugram. 

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