SC notice to Centre on Jharkhand plea against panel on ‘infiltration’

Stating that it is a fact that tribal population is reducing in Jharkhand, the Supreme Court on Friday said it will hear the state’s plea challenge to the High Court order directing setting up of a fact-finding committee to probe alleged infiltration of Bangladeshis in the state’s tribal Santhal Pargana division.

Issuing notice to the Centre on the matter, a bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah said that the state need not nominate its member to the committee until it hears the matter next on December 3.

Appearing for the state, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal objected to the HC order and asked how it could have been passed. Justice Dhulia said the HC had only directed setting up of the committee and has left it to the state government on how to go about it. “Let’s do one thing, we will hear it,” he said. Sibal said, “All I am saying, there is a non-judicial issue”. Justice Dhulia said, “tribal population is reducing, that’s a fact”.