Meghalaya HC issues bailable warrant to Minority Affairs secy

The Meghalaya High Court today issued a bailable warrant to the secretary in the Minority Affairs Ministry for failing to appear before a bench which is hearing a PIL filed on behalf of a minority group here.
The court directed the Delhi Police Commissioner to ensure Amarendra Sinha's presence in the court on January 27.
"We issue a bailable warrant of the sum of Rs 20,000 against the secretary concerned to secure his appearance on the next date of hearing," a full bench headed by Chief Justice Uma Nath Singh said.
"The warrant shall be executed by the police commissioner, Delhi, to ensure the appearance of the secretary before the court on the date fixed," the bench said.

The PIL was filed on behalf of 'Niam Khasi' and 'Niam Tre' who contended that they are being deprived of their fundamental rights and human rights, particularly the ones as guaranteed under Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution of India without any valid grounds.
The bench issued the warrant order after the central government counsel informed that there was response from the secretary as the last order of summoning him has already been communicated.

Meghalaya Chief Secretary P B O Warjri told the court that there was no discrimination in respect of grant of benefits to all the minorities in the state which was contested by the petitioner's counsel.

The court expressed surprise that the state had only last year constituted a task force committee on minorities, 23 years after National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 came into force.
Task force committee chairman T Dkhar was directed by the court to submit a report within three weeks with regard to the minority sections in Meghalaya and their rights. After this the state was asked send its recommendations to the Centre to ensure that due benefits are given to them.