HC asks Centre to place stand on issue of vacancies in National Commission for Minorities

New Delhi, Oct 15 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to place its stand on a plea that raised the issue of vacancies in the National Commission for Minorities, including for the post of chairperson, terming it an important issue.

A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela was informed that the post of National Commission for Minorities (NCM) chairperson has been vacant since April 22, when the last officer demitted office.

The counsel representing the Centre urged the court to grant time to get instructions from the authorities. To this, the bench said, "Please make sure things start moving. Don't wait for the next date. This is very very important." The court was hearing a public interest litigation by petitioner Mujahid Nafees, claiming to be the convenor of Minority Coordination Committee, that alleged "complete and systematic incapacitation of the NCM due to the government's abject failure to appoint its chairperson, vice-chairperson and all five members".

"This executive dereliction has rendered a vital statutory body, created by an Act of Parliament for the protection and welfare of India's notified minority communities, entirely defunct and headless," the plea claimed.

It sought a direction to the Centre, through the Ministry of Minority Affairs, to forthwith initiate and complete the process of appointing the chairperson, vice-chairperson and five members of the NCM in accordance with the National Commission for Minorities Act.

The plea also sought the completion of the appointment process in a transparent and time-bound manner, preferably within four weeks from the date of court order.

It said the "series of demissions from office", beginning in November 2024 and culminating in the chairperson's departure in April 2025, has led to a situation where the commission, for all practical purposes, has ceased to exist.

"The petitioner, representing an informal minority welfare organisation, attempted to resolve the issue through a formal representation to the respondent on August 20, 2025, but was met with silence.

"This petition is a final recourse, seeking a writ of mandamus to compel the respondent to uphold its statutory duty, respect the will of Parliament, and restore the constitutionally guaranteed safeguards for minority communities by making immediate appointments to the NCM," the plea said. PTI SKV RT