Srinagar, Dec. 1: According to a media report today, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has issued an interim order ordering the government to cease awarding caste certificates to Saini community members until their status as a socially marginalized and underprivileged class is established.
In a case titled Members of Saini Community Th. Suksham Singh V/S UT of J&K and Others, the court issued an interim directive stating that no certificate in favor of any Saini community member shall be issued until a final decision is made and that any certificates that have already been issued shall not be implemented until the community’s status is established.
According to Bar and Bench, Justice Rajnesh Oswal issued an order stating that the previously granted certificates will not be implemented at this time.
According to the report, the Court ordered that “no certificate is issued in favor of any member of the Saini community until the government takes a final decision in this regard, and the certificates already issued shall not be given effect thereto until the status of the Saini community as a socially weak and underprivileged class (social caste) is finally determined by the government.”
The Saini Community filed a case via one Suksham Singh, contesting their social status as a weak and disadvantaged social caste, as defined by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, and the Court granted their request through a judgment dated October 19, 2022.
The 2005 Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Rules had been modified by the ruling that was being contested.
Advocate Sheikh Najeeb, the petitioner’s attorney, said that the government’s decision to issue the order went against the interests of the Saini community, a higher caste group that has no interest in seeking quota benefits.
He said that there had been widespread demonstrations against the reservation and that the Saini community was furious at being included in the lower classes of society.
Senior Additional Advocate General (AAG) Ramesh Arora, who spoke on behalf of the respondents, said that the ruling that would have placed the Saini group under the weak and impoverished class category has been put on hold and is not now in effect.
As a result, the High Court dismissed the case and gave the petitioner permission to reapply to the Court in the event that the relevant authorities made a judgment that would negatively affect the Saini community’s status.
The Court also ordered that no caste certificates be given to members of the Saini group.
