Notice to govt over quota for orphans

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to the Centre, states and all Union Territories on a PIL seeking reservation in educational institutions, government jobs and scholarships for “orphans” on par with other SC/ ST and OBCs.

A Bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Ms R. Banumathi sought the response on the PIL filed by social activist Poulomi Pavini Shukla, who questioned the inaction of the Centre and States and lack of facilities and opportunities being made available to the orphans.

The petitioner pointed out that while the Government of India has provided reservation to various categories of children with parents, no such facilities are provided to orphans, who are in need. This inaction has resulted in failure to protect the basic Right to Life of these weakest citizens of India and has also denied them the Right to Equality.

The petitioner said unfortunately, these weakest citizens, despite numbering over two crores, are not voters and have no spokesperson or pressure group to further their cause. She said the Government of India and the states must provide ‘ orphans’ who have no family support or linkages in society of any kind with the right to reservation.

The petitioner wanted the Centre and states to have a policy for assigning caste to orphans.