MSC Order 25Th Oct 2017
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F.NO. 305 OF 2017 NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR MINORITY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Present : Mr. Jose Abraham, Advocate for the petitioner None for the respondent Despite service of notice, there is no appearance on behalf of the respondent. Hence, the case is proceeded ex-parte. Learned Counsel for the petitioner filed his power. He has filed the amended petition in the prescribed format. He has filed the Unique ID No. KA/2017/0168285 of the petitioner society as given by the Niti Aayog portal ngodarpan.gov.in. Learned Counsel for the petitioner filed the affidavit of Sr. Beena Abraham, President of ‘The Augustinian Society’ in support of the averments made in the petition and also to prove that the beneficiaries of the petitioner institution are members of the Christian Community. He has filed the certified copy of Certificate of Registration of ‘The Augustinian Society’ in Kannad language. English translation thereof duly notarized by Notary Public has also been filed. He has filed the certified copies of Memorandum of Association, List of Governing Body Members, List of present members, Rules and Regulations alongwith amended Memorandum of Association of the said Society. He has produced the Recognition letter vide no. : A1/KHAPRA/SHA/Order/58/2016-17 dated 27.12.2016 issued by the Block Education Officer, Anekal Taluk, Bangalore, Karnataka to the VB 25.10.2017 petitioner’s institution in Kannad language. English translation thereof duly notarized by Notary Public has also been filed. It is stated in the petition that on 19.05.2016, the petitioner institution had applied to the State Government for grant of minority status certificate and the same is still pending. Despite service of notice, the competent authority of the State Government has failed to apprise the Commission about the status of the said application. Pendency of the said application for such a disproportionately long period clearly indicates government’s disinclination to grant minority status certificate to the petitioner institution. Petitioner’s right to get minority status certificate cannot be kept under suspended animation. In this view of the matter, it is a fit case for intervention by this Commission. The petitioner institution has applied for grant of minority status certificates on the ground that the same has been established and is being administered by ‘The Augustinian Society’ which is a registered Society, constituted by members of the Christian Community. All members of the said Society are also Christian. The aforesaid averments made in the petitions find ample corroboration from the documentary evidence produced on behalf of the petitioner institution and the affidavit of Sr. Beena Abraham. The amended Memorandum and Association of the said Society clearly reflects that the beneficiaries of the petitioner institution are members of the Christian community. In addition, the said fact also stands proved from the affidavit of Sr. Beena Abraham. There is no evidence on record to rebut the documentary evidence produced on behalf of the petitioner institution. VB 25.10.2017 We have already held in the Case No. 1320 of 2009 (Buckley Primary School vs. The Principal Secretary to Government, School & Mass Education Department, Government of Orissa) decided on 06.07.2010 that the identifying criteria of fixation of the percentage by the State Government governing admission of a minority community in a minority education institution cannot be included in the indicia for determining the minority status of such an institution. Relying on the said unrebutted evidence produced on behalf of the petitioner, we find and hold that St. Augustine School, Kammasandra Village, Electronic City, Bangalore, Karnataka-560100 run by ‘The Augustinian Society’, is eligible for grant of minority status on religious basis. The evidence also proves that the said educational institution was established with the main objective of sub-serving the interests of the Christian Community. Consequently, St. Augustine School, Kammasandra Village, Electronic City, Bangalore, Karnataka- 560100 is declared as a minority educational institution within the meaning of Section 2(g) of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act. A minority status certificate be issued accordingly. DR. BALTEJ SINGH MANN MEMBER DR. NAHEED ABIDI MEMBER VB 25.10.2017 F.NO. 306 OF 2017 NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR MINORITY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Present : Mr. Jose Abraham, Advocate for the petitioner Mr. Vijay Shankar, Proxy Counsel on behalf of the Mr. G.Prakash, Advocate for the respondent Learned Counsel for the respondent file the written submissions on the behalf of the State of Kerala. Learned Counsel for the petitioner filed the reply of the written submission filed the respondent. Learned Counsel for the petitioner filed his power. He has filed the amended petition in the prescribed format in two sets. Learned Counsel for the petitioner filed the affidavit of Mr. Shibu C.M., Manager, Vekkalam Aided UP School in support of the averments made in the petition and also to prove that the beneficiaries of the petitioner institution are members of the Christian Minority Community. He has filed the original Certificate of Recognition issued to Vekkalam Aided UP School issued by Assistant Educational Officer, Iritty, Kerala on 11.09.2017. It is stated in the petition that on 26.04.2016, the petitioner institution had applied to the State Government for grant of minority status certificate and the same is still pending. Despite service of notice, the competent authority of the State Government has failed to apprise the Commission about the status of the said application. Pendency of the said application for such a disproportionately long period clearly indicates government’s disinclination to grant minority status certificate to the petitioner institution. Petitioner’s right to get VB 25.10.2017 minority status certificate cannot be kept under suspended animation. In this view of the matter, it is a fit case for intervention by this Commission. The petitioner institution has applied for grant of minority status certificate on the ground that the institution is established and being administered by an individual of Christian community. It is stated in the affidavit of Mr. Shibu C.M., Manager, Vekkalam Aided UP School that the petitioner institution is established and administered by the members of the Christian community primarily for the benefit of the Christian Community. The aforesaid averments made in the petitions find ample corroboration from the documentary evidence produced on behalf of the petitioner institution and the affidavit of Mr. Shibu C.M. Mr. Shibu C.M., Manager, Vekkalam Aided UP School in his affidavit further proves that the beneficiaries of the petitioner institution are members of the Christian community. There is no evidence on record to rebut the documentary evidence produced on behalf of the petitioner institution. We have already held in the Case No. 1320 of 2009 (Buckley Primary School vs. The Principal Secretary to Government, School & Mass Education Department, Government of Orissa) decided on 06.07.2010 that the identifying criteria of fixation of the percentage by the State Government governing admission of a minority community in a minority education institution cannot be included in the indicia for determining the minority status of such an institution. Relying on the said unrebutted evidence produced on behalf of the petitioner, we find and hold that Vekkalam Aided UP School, Nedumpoil, Kannur District, Kerala-670650 run by an individual VB 25.10.2017 Christian, namely, Mr. Shibu C.M. is eligible for grant of minority status on religious basis. The evidence also proves that the said educational institution was established with the main objective of sub-serving the interests of the Christian Community. Consequently, Vekkalam Aided UP School, Nedumpoil, Kannur District, Kerala-670650 is declared as a minority educational institution within the meaning of Section 2(g) of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions Act. A minority status certificate be issued accordingly. DR. BALTEJ SINGH MANN MEMBER DR. NAHEED ABIDI MEMBER VB 25.10.2017 F.NO. 316 OF 2017 NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR MINORITY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS Present : Mr. Junais P, Advocate for the petitioner None for the respondent Despite service of notice, there is no appearance on behalf of the respondent. Hence, the case is proceeded ex-parte. Learned Counsel for the petitioner filed his power. He has filed the amended petition in the prescribed format. He has filed the Unique ID No. MP/2017/0167280 of the petitioner society as given by the Niti Aayog portal ngodarpan.gov.in. Learned Counsel for the petitioner filed the affidavit of Mr. Namit Jain, Secretary, Vikash Education and Environment Academy Samiti in support of the averments made in the petition and also to prove that the beneficiaries of the petitioner institution are members of the Jain Community. He has produced the original Certificate of Registration of ‘Vikash Education and Environment Academy Samiti’ which was returned to him after due verification. He has filed the certified copies of Memorandum of Association, List of Founding Members, Rules and Regulations of the said society. He has also filed the certified copies of amended Memorandum of Association, List of Current members and Amended Rules and Regulations of the said Society. He has produced the downloaded copy of Recognition letter vide no. : WRC/WRCAPP1807/E.El.