Plea against Indian embassy decision to deregister over 200 associations in Kuwait

The Delhi High Court has sought the response of the Centre on a plea challenging the decision of the Indian embassy in Kuwait to deregister over 200 associations.

Justice Navin Chawla issued a notice to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) seeking its stand on the petition by one of the deregistered associations, which has contended that the embassy had arbitrarily decided whom to deregister.

"The Indian Embassy deregistered the Indian Associations in Kuwait in a selective manner without any reason attributable to it," the Overseas Nationalist Cultural People, Kuwait, has contended in its plea filed through advocate Jose Abraham.

The petitioner has said it was registered with the embassy in December 21, 2017, for a period of three years and it was to expire on December 20, 2020.

"However, when the new Ambassador took charge of the Embassy of India in the State of Kuwait, he unilaterally took a decision to deregister over 200 Indian Associations previously registered with it without any cogent reason for arriving at such a decision," it said.

According to the petitioner, several deregistered associations had made a representation to MEA in September to evolve a mechanism of deregistration, under which they would be given a chance to place their case before the embassy.

In their representation, the associations had also asked the MEA to allow them to continue till their period of registration expires, the petition said, adding that they decided to move the high court as no response was received from the ministry.

The association has sought directions to the MEA to take a decision on the representation made by it.