New Delhi (India), February 12: The Supreme Court on Wednesday, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking school admissions and government benefits for Rohingya refugees, asked for details regarding the proof of their residence.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh emphasized that no Rohingya children should face discrimination in education but requested the submission of information about their current family residences. The bench stated it needed to understand where the refugees were living and in whose house, asking for evidence such as registration numbers to verify their residence. The bench remarked:
“In terms of education, there will be no discrimination. We need to know how they are living, where they are living, in whose house they are living and what is the house number. Some proof of where they are… show us registration numbers etc. We need to know where they are and then arrange it.”
Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing the Rohingya Human Rights Initiative (NGO), informed the court that the refugees hold UNHCR cards. He requested additional time to provide the necessary details of their residence. The court subsequently adjourned the matter for further hearing in 10 days.
The court stated that it would assess how relief could be extended to the refugees once the residence details were furnished.
The PIL had requested a direction to authorities for granting free school admissions to all Rohingya children, irrespective of Aadhar cards, and to allow them to participate in examinations, including Classes 10 and 12 and graduation exams, without requiring government-issued ID proofs. Additionally, the petition sought the extension of government benefits, including free health services in government hospitals, subsidized food grains under the Antyodya Anna Yojana, and benefits under the Food Security Act for the Rohingya families, on par with Indian citizens, regardless of their citizenship status.