Gauhati High Court reverses decision granting relief to Kokrajhar MP Naba Sarania
The Gauhati High Court has overturned a single-judge bench order giving interim relief to Lok Sabha MP Naba Sarania in a case challenging his ST-P status. Sarania, representing Assam’s Kokrajhar seat since 2014, had his case slated for final disposal on April 5 due to the upcoming elections.
In a judgment on Wednesday, the two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi set aside the single-judge’s order, stating, “We are of the view that the impugned order passed by the learned single judge cannot be sustained.” The urgency of the situation prompted the court to list Sarania’s writ petition for final disposal on Friday before the upcoming polls on May 7.
The case brought by the Assam government and four other parties contested the single-judge bench’s order from March 27, which had stayed a January 2024 order against Sarania affecting his tribal status. Sarania had contested the SLSC’s “speaking order” declaring him non-ST(P) and the subsequent cancellation of his caste certificate on January 20, 2024.
Claiming membership in the Boro Kachari community with ST(P) status, Sarania argued for his tribal identity, crucial to his representation of a Lok Sabha constituency designated for his community. The court’s decision serves as a monumental development in the ongoing legal battle regarding Sarania’s tribal status.
