Religious minority status to be determined pan-India, not state wise: SC

New Delhi, Dec 17: The Supreme Court has said that the minority status must be determined on a pan India basis and not on a state basis.

The court was hearing a petition that sought to declare Hindus as minorities in eight states where Muslims and Christians are in majority. While rejecting the petition, the court observed that a religious minority status cannot be declared on the basis of a state. It is to be decided on a pan-India basis, the court also held.

The public interest litigation (PIL) sought minority status to Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

The petition said that Hindus are minority in these places, but their benefits are being siphoned of arbitrarily to the majority.