India’s SC asks Delhi whether Muslims in occupied Kashmir can be treated as minority

A three-member bench ordered New Delhi to resolve issue and submit a report within four weeks

NEW DELHI: The Indian Supreme Court on Monday asked New Delhi and authorities in Indian occupied Kashmir to decide upon whether Muslims can be treated as a minority in the disputed region, the Times of India (TOI) reported.

A three-member bench of the top court asked them to resolve the issue and submit a report within four weeks.



"This is a very, very important issue. You both sit together and take a stand on it," the TOI quoted the Indian SC bench as saying.

The petition alleged that, "The population of Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir according to the 2011 Census is 68.31 per cent. Communities which are eligible to be notified as minorities, were not awarded their due share of scholarship owing to their non-identification as minorities, thereby jeopardising their constitutionally guaranteed rights enshrined under Part III of the Constitution of India."

"This clearly reflects the unfairness and discrimination of the State towards the communities in the state of Jammu and Kashmir which are eligible to be notified as minorities," added the petition.

Meanwhile, the Indian Express also reported that the SC gave the Indian government a two week’ time period to consider alternatives to pellet guns against the protesting Kashmiris in the troubled valley.

The top Indian court, hearing a plea filed by the Kashmir High Court Bar Association (KHBA) seeking directions for the use of pellet guns in the valley, asked New Delhi to devise ways which ensure that both sides are protected.



India was reconsidering pellet shotguns being used by its security forces when controlling crowds after widespread use of the weapons caused multiple casualties and stirred public anger back in July 2016.

Since protests against Indian rule erupted in the disputed territory, hundreds of Kashmiris have been badly wounded, many left partially or fully blinded by pellets.

Amnesty International has also asked New Delhi to prohibit the use of pellet-firing shotguns during street demonstrations saying that Indian police should look for "less harmful" devices.