Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Jul 20: The state high court, which was hearing a petition seeking directions to the government to earmark seats only for Muslim students belonging to Sunni sect in Kanachur Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) at Natekal here, has reserved its orders.

Kanachur Islamic Education Trust had filed this petition. The HC division bench comprising Justice A S Bopanna and Justice Mohammad Nawaz, which heard arguments for and against the petition, reserved its judgement for a later date.

Senior advocate M R Nayak, presenting arguments on behalf of the petitioners said that article 30 of Indian Constitution provides for setting up of religious minority institutions. He pointed out that seats have been set aside in St Joseph Medical College for students hailing from Roman Catholic Christian community. He therefore argued in favour of providing for reservation in the said medical college for Sunni students alone.

Advocate general, Uday Holla, who represented the state government in the case, said that there have been examples of seats having been given by Christian and Muslim educational organizations in Jammu and Kashmir, Telangana etc to students from all religions scoring high marks. He therefore prayed against entertaining the request of the institution.

The bench, which concluded hearing in the case, reserved its order.