HC stays Govt order stopping relief to migrant families

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 20: In a major succor to the relief holders whose wards were appointed in Kashmir Valley under PM’s package, the State High Court has stayed the Government circular issuing directives to Relief Organization to stop the relief to those migrant families whose wards have been provided Government jobs under PM’s Employment Package in Kashmir Valley.
The order was passed by Justice Hasnain Massodi while hearing a petition challenging the Government’s circular.
The High Court has granted two weeks time to the Additional Advocate General to file reply and objections on behalf of the respondents.  The Court, in the meantime, has issued directives that the payment of the relief to the petitioners should not be discontinued in the wake of impugned circular till next date of hearing.
The High Court directive came in a writ petition filed by 24 displaced Pandits from Valley through Senior Advocate Anil Sethi under Article 266 of the Constitution of India read with Section 103 of the J&K Constitution.
The petitioners challenged the August 22, 2012 Government circular which states that in case any member of migrant family gets a Government job the family would be deprived of the relief benefits provided to it by Relief Commissioner’s Office.