Kerala HC cancels order dividing minority scholarships 80:20

The Kerala High Court on Friday decided to cancel a 2015 state government order under which 80 per cent of the merit-cum-means scholarships went to the Muslim community and 20 per cent to the Christian community (Latin Catholic and converted Christians).

A division bench, headed by Chief Justice S. Manikumar gave the order on a public interest litigation, directing that the scholarships should be distributed on the basis of the population of the communities.

Incidentally Mizoram Governor and former state BJP President P.S.Sreedharan Pillai has gone on record to say that Cardinal George Alencherry, the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, had shared his concerns that 80 per cent of the funds for the minority community are going to 'one' particular community and the Christian community is getting just 20 per cent.

In Kerala of the 3.34 crore population, the Muslim community accounts for 88.73 lakh, while the Christian population stands at 61.41 lakh.

If the apportionment is going to cover all the Christians, then the new ratio will see the Muslims getting 60 per cent and Christians 40 per cent. But if it is going to be applicable in the present form to only the Latin and converted Christians, then the present 80:20 ratio will continue.

The respective communities are awaiting for the full order to come before they can comment on it. - IANS