SC notice to Meghalaya on relocation of Sikhs

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 19

Sought to be dislodged from the areas they have been residing in for decades, a group of Sikhs from Shillong has moved the Supreme Court against an order of the state high court, asking them to furnish information to the state to establish their claim.

A three-judge Bench headed by Justice NV Ramana on Monday issued notice to the Meghalaya Government after senior counsel PS Patwalia questioned the order passed by the state high court in a review petition filed by the state.

The top court asked the Meghalaya Government to respond to the petition filed by Harijan Panchayat Committee led by Gurjit Singh challenging the HC order in the review petition.

The petitioners contended that the HC could not have passed such an order in a review petition as the scope of a review petition was limited to the errors in the order and no fresh issue could be agitated.

It all started on June 4, 2018 when the Meghalaya Government set up a committee to relocate the residents of Punjabi Colony, Sweeper Colony and Bara Bazaar in Shillong where Mazhabi (Scheduled Caste) Sikhs working in different places as safaiwalas and or sweepers.