The Madras High Court on Friday listed for admission on February 7 a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to the Tamil Nadu government to dispose of a representation for including Narikuravar alias Kuruvikar community in the Scheduled Tribe list.
The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice M.Y.Eqbal and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, passed the order on a petition by M. Samson Vengaiyan of Adhikathur in Tiruvallur district.
When the matter came up, the Bench, after perusing the office note, said the petition be numbered and listed for admission.
J. Ravindran, Assistant Solicitor-General of India, took notice for Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. He sought time to get instructions. Government Pleader Raja Kalifulla appeared for the State government.
The petitioner submitted that it was imperative for Parliament to enact an appropriate law to include Narikuravar in the ST list. The community was socially, educationally and economically backward. In all the other States, the community was in the ST list. In Tamil Nadu, it had been included in the Most Backward Classes. This was unjust and unfair.
He made a representation to the Chief Secretary on October 22 last year, but there was no response till now. Hence the petition.
