Right to live with dignity includes not being tied down by casteism: Delhi HC
New Delhi (PTI): Stating that the right to live with dignity includes not being "tied down by casteism", the Delhi High Court has directed the CBSE to comply with the request of two siblings belonging to the Scheduled Caste community to update their father's surname, which he has changed due to social stigma, in their Class 10 and 12 certificates.
Justice Mini Pushkarna said the denial by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in carrying out the requisite change in the certificates was "totally unjustified" and if a person wanted to not to be identified with any particular caste that may be a cause of prejudice, the same is permissible.
"It is to be noted that the petitioners have every right to have an identity which gives them an honourable and respectable identity in the society.. The Right to Identity is an intrinsic part of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India," the court said.
In response to the petition, CBSE had said the change in the surname would entail a change in the caste of the petitioners, which could be misused.
The court, however, clarified that the change in the father's surname shall not entail a change of caste of the petitioners or allow them to take advantage of any reservation or any other benefit that might be available to the updated caste/surname.
The petitioner brothers told the court that their father decided to change his surname due to caste atrocities suffered by him on day to day basis, based on his surname.
The judge said the petitioner brothers have every right to have an "honourable and respectable" identity in society and if they have suffered any disadvantage on account of their surname, they were "certainly entitled to a change of their identity that gives respectability to the petitioners in the societal structure".
"Therefore, the CBSE is directed forthwith to carry out the requisite changes in the 10th and 12th certificates of the petitioners to reflect the name of their father (with the changed surname)," stated the court in an order passed last month.
There is no denying the fact that the Right to Life includes, within its ambit, the Right to Live with Dignity, which includes not being tied down by any casteism that a person may face on account of the caste to which such person belongs, said the court.
The father of the petitioners had published a note in the newspaper informing about the change of his name, which was also published in the Gazette Notification and reflected in the various public documents including Aadhaar Card and PAN Card, it was stated in their plea.
The petitioners then applied for a change of their father's name in the 10th and 12th certificates as issued by the CBSE, but their request was rejected.
"Owing to the social stigma attached, the father of the petitioners changed his surname. Thus, in order to overcome the social stigma and the disadvantage faced by the petitioners on account of their surname, the petitioners applied for a change of their father's name in the Class 10th and 12th Certificates as issued by the CBSE," said the court.
"Thus, if a person wants to change his or her surname, so as not to be identified with any particular caste that may be a cause of prejudice to such person in any manner, the same is permissible," it stated.
The court said CBSE is at liberty to requisition any documents required for carrying out the rectification of the surname.
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No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
