The Scouts Guides Organization v. The Union Of India

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

+ W.P.(C) 11659/2017 THE SCOUTS GUIDES ORGANIZATION ..... Petitioner Through:

Mr Brijender Chahar, Sr. Advocate with Mr Pulkit Agarwal, Mr Palav Agarwal and Mr Karan Chahar, Advocates.

versus THE UNION OF INDIA ..... Respondent Through Ms Aastha Jain and Mr Rishi Ahuja, Advocates for UOI.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIBHU BAKHRU

O R D E R

% 22.12.2017 CM No.47386/2017 1.

Allowed, subject to all just exceptions.

W.P.(C) 11659/2017 2.

Issue notice. Learned counsel for the respondent accepts notice. 3.

The petitioner has filed the present petition, inter alia, praying as under:- "a.

Issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate Writ, Order or direction to the Respondent to duly grant requisite recognition to the Petitioner."

4.

Mr Chahar, the learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioner states that the petitioner has already filed a representation with the respondent for recognition. However, the said representation has not been

considered. He submits that the petitioner organization is seeking parity with other similar organisations, namely, Bharat Scouts and Hindustan Scouts, who have been granted such recognition. He also drew the attention of this Court to a letter dated 07.11.2017 received in response to an application filed under the Right to Information Act, 2005, inter alia, seeking information as to what action had been taken in respect of the petitioner's representation dated 08.08.2017.

The said response indicates that the respondent is not considering extension of financial assistance to any other organization.

Mr Chahar states that the petitioner is not seeking any financial assistance from the respondent but merely seeks recognition as a body carrying on the activity of scouting.

5.

Keeping in view the aforesaid averments, this Court considers it apposite to direct the respondent to consider the petitioner's representation bearing in mind that the petitioner is only seeking parity with other two organisations named above and is not seeking any financial assistance. It is so directed.

6.

The respondent shall pass a speaking order either granting recognition as sought for by the petitioner or indicating the reasons for rejecting the same. The said order be passed within a period of 12 weeks from today. 7.

The petition is disposed of with the aforesaid directions. VIBHU BAKHRU, J DECEMBER 22, 2017 MK