Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 22: High Court closed a Public Interest Litigation, (PIL) seeking its directions to omit the precondition of 8th pass for poor girls to avail the benefits under State Marriage Assistance Scheme (SMAS).
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal has been informed that the condition laid down in the Government order is unfair to poor and underprivileged girls as such the said condition be quashed.
The Government Counsel however, assured the Court that the matter shall be examined in the right earnest and appropriate orders in this regard shall be passed within two months. The Bench with these submissions closed the PIL with the direction to take specific decision in this regard within a precise time.
The Government Counsel submitted that it would be expedient if the PIL is disposed off at this stage to enable the authorities to examine and deal with the concerns and grievances of the petitioner and take necessary measures in accordance with law.
That being so, the petitioner submitted that the PIL be disposed off in terms of the statement made by the senior AAG. However, he urged that authorities be directed to take a decision in this regard within a specified time.
“In the wake of the above, the PIL was disposed off in terms of the statements made by the Learned Counsel for the parties,” the Court said.
The Government has also increased the financial assistance under the scheme for the poor girls of marriageable age belonging to AAY Ration Card holder families from Rs 50,000 to Rs 75,000.
For girls from families with Priority Household (PHH) Ration Cards, the financial assistance will remain at Rs 50,000.
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