SC DIRECTED TO CREATE A SEAT IN IIT BOMBAY FOR A DALIT BOY WHO WAS UNABLE TO SECURE HIS SEAT DUE TO A TECHNICAL GLITCH

Recently A Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna directed the Centre to find the list of seats available in IIT Bombay and whether the petitioner can be accommodated. The Court directed the above while hearing a case of a 17-year-old Dalit boy who was unable to reserve a seat in IIT Bombay due to a technical glitch. 

Today the Joint Seat Allocation Authority informed the bench that all seats had been filled and no available seats. In response to the information, the Court exercised its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution. It directed the Joint Seat Allocation Authority to create a seat for the 17-year-old, noting that "It would be a great travesty of justice if the young student is denied admission for non-payment of fees due to technical glitch." Therefore, the Court directed an allocation of the seat without disturbing the admission of other students. 

The Supreme Court said that "the authorities should understand the truths of social life and issues on the ground. The 17-year-old did not have money to reserve his seat; his sister had to transfer the amount but faced a technical error again. The authorities should not take such a wooden approach but understand the realities of such issues." 

Author: Papiha Ghoshal