Jamia violence: SC declines to intervene, directs petitioners to approach High Courts

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that the petition in the matter pertaining to violence in Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University against the newly amended citizenship law to be taken to the concerned High Courts.

"We consider it appropriate for the petitioner to approach the jurisdictional High Court. The High court will be at liberty to pass appropriate orders regarding medical aid and arrest of students. We are confident that Chief Justice of these High Courts shall make appropriate inquiries into it," Chief Justice of India SA Bobde said.

The High Court will look into the aspects of the matter and shall hear and appoint fact-finding committees, the Chief Justice of India stated.

He said that it would be feasible to appoint a "single committee to go into the matter in different states". "This will entail the collection of evidence from various states."

The petitions were in the backdrop of violence which erupted in Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

The matter was mentioned before the apex court by senior advocates Indira Jaising yesterday. The court agreed to hear the matter today, provided that the environment of "rioting" stops.

The Act provides citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who faced religious persecution from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan and arrived in India before December 31, 2014.