Minority status in J&K; SC imposes Rs 30k cost on Centre for not filing reply

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today imposed a cost of Rs 30,000 on the Centre for not filing its reply to a PIL alleging that minority benefits are being enjoyed by majority Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice N V Ramana allowed the counsel for the Centre to file the response after depositing the cost within two weeks and noted that a fine of Rs 15,000 was also imposed last time for the same reason.

The bench said that as the matter is very important and it was according last opportunity to the Centre to file the reply.

Earlier, the court had issued notice to the Centre, the state government and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) on the plea filed by Jammu-based advocate Ankur Sharma, alleging that benefits accruing to minorities were being taken away by Muslims, who were in a majority in Jammu and Kashmir.