The Bench gives liberty to advocate Barun Kumar Sinha, representing the petitioner NGO, to approach the Centre and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with the grievances

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a PIL seeking direction to the government to rehabilitate/resettle Kashmiri Hindus and Sikhs, including those who migrated since 1990 from Kashmir to any other part of India due to terrorism.

A Bench led by Justice BR Gavai, however, gave liberty to advocate Barun Kumar Sinha, representing the petitioner NGO, to approach the Centre and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with the grievances.

The petitioner NGO -- We The Citizens – had demanded that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) be set up to identify the perpetrators who were involved, aided and abetted the ‘genocide’ of Hindus and Sikhs in Jammu and Kashmir from 1989-2003 in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. It said the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir should prosecute the accused on the basis of the report of the SIT constituted by them in accordance with the law. Those who migrated from Kashmir by leaving behind their immovable properties had been living a life of refugees in other parts of India, it alleged.

It had sought a direction to the Centre and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir to conduct a census of Hindus and Sikhs of Jammu and Kashmir who have been victims/survivors of ‘genocide’ and residing in different parts of India.

The NGO had also sought a direction to declare all sale of properties, post exodus in January 1990 -- whether religious, residential, agricultural, commercial, institutional, educational or any other immovable property -- as null and void.

Courtesy: The Tribune India :  2nd Sep , 2022