Consider Jain Mahasabha's representation, SC tells government

The Supreme Court Wednesday asked the Centre to consider the Akhil Bhartiya Jain Mahasabha's representation seeking nomination of a member of the Jain community in the minority commissions both at the centre and in the states.

An apex court bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice A.K. Sikri asked Additional Solicitor General Pinki Anand to consider within four months the representation which also seeks allocation of funds earmarked for religious minority institutions.

Before asking the government to consider representation by the ABJM, the court asked if the petitioner organisation had made any representation to the government seeking to be represented in the minority commission before approaching the court,

The counsel Rajeev Sharma appearing for the ABJM told the court that the Jain body had made representation to the National Commission for Minorities, Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Minority Affairs. He told the court that they have not received any response from the government.

The counsel told the court that through Jains Community was declared as a minority community at the national level by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in 2014, so far only eleven states have recognised them as such.

The petitioner organisation told the court that all the positions and the benefits of the minority communities were being cornered by the Muslim Community.

The petition said that Jain religious and institutions have been denied the benefits of financial grants at par with Muslim institutions such as Waqf Board, Madrasa Board and Haz Committees.