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SC/ST hostels lacking in basic amenities: PIL

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Centre and all States and Union Territories (UTs), asking them to respond to a public interest litigation petition highlighting the poor condition of hostels for SC/ST students and seeking remedial measures.

The hostels for boys and girls are being run by the Union Ministries of Social Justice and Empowerment, and Tribal Affairs.

In its petition, the Akhil Bharathiya Vidyarthi Parishad said that despite a huge allocation of grant under various schemes, these hostels lacked adequate and hygienic toilets, and water and power supply, and food served there was of poor quality. This amounted to denial to students of their right to live with human dignity as provided under Article 21 and the right to equality enshrined in Article 14, and as such the States had failed to perform their constitutional duties.

Survey in 985 hostels

The Parishad said it had conducted a survey of 985 SC/ST hostels in 208 districts of 14 States. From the reports gathered, it was clear the “standard of food is very low, the status of hygiene is very poor in almost every State and UT and there is irregular utilisation of these hostels also.”

The petitioner said it tried every step to open the eyes of the administration at the district as well as State level by giving representations, taking out rallies and staging demonstrations. In some places, it persuaded officials to visit hostels but no step was taken to improve their condition.

The Parishad sought a direction to the States to protect the constitutional rights of the weaker sections, in particular the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes as guaranteed under Article 46; to constitute a committee to survey the hostels in the States and call for a report on the state of affairs there.

Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justices P. Sathasivam and Aftab Alam were on the Bench.

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