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HC issues notice to Punjab govt, Centre over removal of nearly 7,000 SC/ST beneficiaries from PM Awaas Yojana

The PIL, filed by a woman labourer from Muktsar, said thousands were struck off the permanent waiting list months before last year’s Assembly bypoll in Punjab’s Gidderbaha.

3 min readNov 12, 2025 12:53 PM IST

The bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikram Berry, hearing the matter, took on record a key central document outlining the rules for the housing scheme (File)

The Punjab and Haryana High Court Tuesday issued notice to the Punjab Government and central authorities directing to explain why thousands of Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) residents were dropped from the list of beneficiaries for the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) without any warning or inspection.

The bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikram Berry, hearing the matter, took on record a key central document outlining the rules for the housing scheme and flagged procedural lapses in the state’s handling.

Struck off waiting list ahead of Gidderbaha bypoll
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) by Sukhjeet Kaur, 48, a daily wage labourer from Chak Giljwala village in Muktsar district, spotlights what she describes as “blatant misuse of power” driven by local electoral politics. Kaur, who lives in a flimsy makeshift home with her husband Raj Singh, alleged that she and scores of others like her – all initially cleared for homes under the Centre’s PMAY-G – were struck off the permanent waiting list just months before last year’s bypoll in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment.

Kaur’s plea, argued by her counsel Nikhil Ghai, paints a picture of quiet desperation among Punjab’s rural underclass. In 2019, when the state prepared its permanent voter list, often used as a base for welfare schemes, Kaur and her neighbours were verified as eligible for PMAY-G, the flagship rural housing initiative launched by the Centre in 2015 to provide pucca homes to the poorest.

They even received Awaas Plus IDs, unique identifiers that locked their spot on the permanent waiting list (PWL), promising a dignified roof over their heads. But in July 2024, a sudden “verification drive” by the Punjab government upended everything. Letters dated July 9, 2024, and February 6, 2025, both annexed to the petition, informed Kaur that her name had been removed from the list after a re-check.

‘Politically motivated exercise’
Advocate Ghai urged the court to quash what he said was an “arbitrary and politically motivated exercise” undertaken by the state of Punjab, through which 6,952 eligible SC/ST beneficiaries, including the petitioner, were excluded from the PWL under the PMAY-G scheme. He submitted that these beneficiaries had already been verified, but were removed without any notice or stated reason.

Manraj Grewal Sharma

Manraj Grewal Sharma is a senior journalist and the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Chandigarh, where she leads the newspaper’s coverage of north India’s most politically and institutionally significant regions. From Punjab and Haryana to Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, she oversees reporting at the intersection of governance, law, politics and society. She also reports on the diaspora, especially in Canada and the US. With a career spanning journalism across several countries, academia and international development, Manraj brings a rare depth of perspective to regional reporting. She is widely regarded as a leading chronicler of Punjab’s contemporary history and socio-political evolution, particularly its long shadow of militancy, federal tensions and identity politics. Her book, Dreams after Darkness, remains a definitive account of the militancy years and their enduring aftermath. Professional Background & Expertise A gold medalist in mass communication and a post-graduate in English literature, Manraj has a multifaceted career spanning journalism, academia, and international development. She was also awarded a fellowship by National Foundation of India and did several in-depth pieces on Manipur. Internationally, she has reported from Israel, US, UK, Myanmar, and Mauritius Her key focus areas include: Regional Politics, History, Agriculture, Diaspora, and Security. Of late, she has started focusing on Legal & Judicial Affairs: Much of her recent work involves reporting on high-stakes cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, ranging from environmental policy to civil rights. International Consulting: She previously served as a consulting editor for the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network and a publishing consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Academia: For five years, she was the managing editor of Gender, Technology and Development, a peer-reviewed international journal at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage focuses heavily on judicial interventions and regional governance: 1. Environment & Governance "‘NGT can’t test legality of policy’: HC hears challenge to Punjab’s ‘Green Habitat’ plan" (Dec 22, 2025): Covering a critical legal battle over whether the National Green Tribunal has the authority to strike down a state policy regularizing farmhouses on delisted forest land. "High court pulls up Punjab poll panel over audio clip probe" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on judicial concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of local body elections. 2. Legal Rights & Social Welfare "HC issues notice to Punjab, Haryana over delay in building old age homes" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on a contempt petition against top officials for failing to establish government-run homes for the elderly as promised in 2019. "Victims can appeal acquittals in sessions court without seeking special leave" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant procedural shift in criminal law following a Supreme Court ruling. "HC upholds benefits for Punjab FCI officer acquitted in 20-year-old bribery case" (Dec 19, 2025): A report on the concept of "honourable acquittal" and its impact on employee benefits. 3. Human Rights & Identity "As Punjab denies parole to MP Amritpal Singh, HC asks it to submit ‘foundational material’" (Dec 1, 2025): Covering the legal proceedings regarding the radical preacher and sitting MP's request to attend Parliament. "Protecting life paramount: HC backs Muslim woman in live-in after verbal divorce" (Nov 6, 2025): Analyzing judicial protections for personal liberty in the context of traditional practices. Signature Beats Manraj is recognized for her ability to decode complex judicial rulings and relate them to the everyday lives of citizens. Whether it is a 30-year-old land battle in Fazilka or the political implications of Kangana Ranaut’s candidacy in Mandi, her writing provides deep historical and regional context. Contact @grewal_sharma on X manrajgrewalsharma on Instagram ... Read More

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