Ahmadabad: Yesterday, on 16th March the High court of Gujarat has noticed the Ahmadabad Municipal Corporation- AMC and also the State Government in connection with the Public Interest Litigation- PIL where the discrimination against the Muslim- dominated localities of Sarkhej ward, was alleged.
Also, the PIL alleging the discrimination against the Muslim- dominated localities, further alleged that the Muslim localities were not provided basic civic facilities like drinking water, drainage, street lights and disposal of garbage.
The PIL is filed by the Petitioners- activist cum- lawyer- Amrish Patel and Musebhai Khatumbara, who brought to the court the matter saying that the Local authorities through notifications extended the limits of Ahmadabad city in which several municipalities like Makarba, Bodakdev, Nikol, Nava Odhav, Nava Naroda, Thaltej and village panchayats Sarkhej, Jodhpur, Vejalpur, Ghatlodia, Memnagar, Chadlodia, Kali, Ranip, Vastral and Ramol were merged and brought under the Ahmadabad Municipal Corporation. The Notification concerned was issued in the year 2006. Moreover, the petitioners further claimed that after such merger, the AMC started collecting municipal taxes from the residents, however, the people who are residing in the Muslim- dominated localities were not provided basic civic facilities.
Thus, the Court has now issued notices against AMC and State Government and asked them to file replies to such allegations. The Bench of High Court of Gujarat, comprising of Justice- R. Subhash Reddy and Justice- Vipul M. Pancholi have taken such decision.
Further, in the petition, the petitioners found stated that the Sarkhej and Makarba are the two areas, where a large number of Muslims have settled since from 2002. Alleging the non- provision of the civic facilities, for the Muslim dwellers, the Petitioners, further sought to maintain that the action of providing all the civic facilities to the residents of one community, and not providing the same to the residents of another community, is an arbitrary action and also discriminatory and violating of Article 14 and also Article 15 of the Constitution of India. Now, as such the respondents are set to file their responses upon such pleas.
Adv. Faim Khalilkhan Pathan