JAMMU PROVINCE MIGRANTS COMM. Vs. STATE OF J&K

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THESE three writ petitions have been filed by Jammu Province Migrant Committee and 676 persons, hailing from District Doda and District Poonch of the State of Jammu and Kashmir, projecting their suffering and harships to which they have been put to because of the unabated activities of the extremists in their respective areas. The petitioners, belonging to the poorer strata of the society, are dependent on their bread only on the availability of some or the other menial work at the places of their residence. They say that it was because of the activities of the militants, who had been indulging in merciless killing of innocent, that they had to leave their home and hearth in search of some safer places in Jammu province.

(2.) PETITIONERS ' grievance in these writ petitions, in nut shell, is that though entitled to treatment similar to those who had migrated from Kashmir Province, they had been denied this relief because the authorities had turned a deaf ear to their genuine request, treating them differently. They thus seek directions against the respondents to register them as migrants and to provide them all those facilities which are available to those who had migrated from Kashmir Province, in accordance with the policy guidelines, orders and instructions issued by the Government in this behalf from time to time.

(3.) THIS Court has time and again issued directions to the State government to treat similarly all those persons who had suffered because of the activities of the militants and to provide them requisite relief so that they are able to survive with dignity and honour while enjoying their fundamental right to life and liberty. Hon'ble Supreme Court of India too had issued certain directions in this behalf to the State government for looking into the plight of those who had migrated because of the terror let lose by the militants in some areas of Jammu province as well.