Petition seeks to end nomination of Anglo-Indian members in Assembly, Parliament

Correspondent

NewsBits.in

JABALPUR: A public interest litigation has been filed in the High Court, challenging the practice of nominating members of Anglo-Indians in Parliament and State Assemblies.

Activists Dr PG Najpande and Rajat Bhargava, on behalf of Nagrik Adhikar Manch, a non-governmental organisation, have filed it in the Jabalpur High Court.

The petitioners have said that these members have the rights of MPs and MLAs even though they are nominated and not elected. "They secure benefits of these offices without even contesting elections and that's a violation of rights of MPs and MLAs", insist the petitioners. 

Najpandey has said that the provision was for a a period of ten years but it was extended several times (including 95th amendment in constitution). Claiming that there are are fewer Anglo-Indians now, the petitioners said that there was need to put an end to this form of representation by nomination.

They also insist that it is against the right to equality. There is provision for nomination of an Anglo Indian in Madhya Pradesh Assembly too. Often, a person from Jabalpur is nominated as the city has had substantial Christian and Anglo-Indian population even before independence.