PANAJI
A group of citizens including two advocates have approached the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) challenging the State government’s decision to make the ‘Samaj certificate’ mandatory for obtaining Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates.
Acting on the application, the GHRC has issued a notice to the Directorate of Social Welfare and District Collectors, directing it to file a reply by July 14.
The complainants have argued that this requirement is in contempt of a Supreme Court ruling and amounts to a violation of human rights.
“At the time of applying for an OBC certificate by online mode on the website goaonline.gov.in, the one document required for applying for an OBC certificate is the Samaj Certificate issued by the organisations without which the application for OBC certificate is not processed,” reads an extract of the application.
Advocates Atish Mandrekar and Anish Bacal along with Sanjeev Naik further stated that several deputy collectors had received letters from the Gomantak Bhandari Samaj urging them to withdraw caste certificate.
According to the complainants, the insistence on producing a Samaj or social status certificate from community organisations, when it is not mandatory under the law, undermines OBC citizens’ basic rights.
“...By making it compulsory to produce the certificate on the Goa government website creates a hurdle for the beneficiaries from smoothly availing OBC certificates.... the Deputy Collectors in the State are responsible for contempt guidelines laid down by the Apex Court...and violates human rights,” it stated.
The complainants also said their repeated representations to the North and South Goa Collectors and the Department of Social Welfare were ignored, leaving them with no option but to approach the GHRC for urgent intervention.
