Kerala HC Stays 2 Lakshadweep Reform Decisions
The Kerala High Court stated that no further action should be taken on removal of chicken, beef, meat from school menu and closing down of dairy farms.
Lakshadweep’s new Administrator Praful Khoda Patel had introduced many new laws in the union territory.
Ajmal Ahmed R an advocate at the Kerala High Court and an executive member of the Lakshadweep Bar (Lawyers) Association filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Kerala High court against these laws stating that these decisions were made on "hidden and mischievous personal agenda" and violated the islanders' rights. The Kerala High Court on 22nd June stated that no further action (put the laws on hold) should be taken on these two specific decisions -- removal of chicken, beef, meat etc from the island group's school menu and closing down of dairy farms. Decision will be taken after the Union government files an affidavit. "This is nothing but interfering with the right to choose the food habits of the island people, which is against the right under the Constitution of India," Ajmal said in his PIL.
Mr. Praful’s draft Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation (LDAR) also proposes changes in land laws, allowing authorities to take over any property for development activities such as building, engineering, and mining & quarrying. 60 scientists from different institutions who have worked on the islands for years have written to President Ram Nath Kovind seeking his intervention to withdraw the draft" Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation of 2021 as it is highly problematic and will work against existing legal provisions that safeguard Lakshadweep's ecology. In its current form, the LDAR keeps local islanders out of decision-making processes.
Ayesha Sultana, a filmmaker, and islander, was booked by Lakshadweep police for alleging that the Centre used biological weapons against the people of Lakshadweep to spread coronavirus. She was called to the Kavaratti police station for questioning. However, District Collector S Asker Ali, alleged that Ms Sulthana, broke all corona norms and issued her a notice. He said Ayesha Sultana was exempted from the mandatory quarantine provision only for the purpose of interrogation in the case against her. But she violated the home quarantine direction and roamed in public places, interacted with the public, visited a First Line Treatment Centre and interacted with COVID-19 positive patients.
