SC junks plea challenging Centre's notification according minority status to 5 communities

A petition challenging the validity of the Centre's notification declaring five communities as minorities has been dismissed by the Supreme Court. The apex court refused to entertain the PIL filed by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking laying of guidelines to accord minority status based on state-wise population of a community.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the validity of the Centre's 26-year-old notification declaring five communities -- Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis -- as minorities.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde refused to entertain the PIL filed by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking laying of guidelines to accord minority status based on state-wise population of a community.

"Religion must be considered pan-India," said the bench which also comprised justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant.