Supreme Court halts Uriamghat eviction drive
The petition was argued by Senior Advocates Chander Uday Singh and Rauf Rahim, with Advocate-on-Record Adeel Ahmed, assisted by Abdur Razzaq. (Representative Image)

Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Friday dismissedย a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that urged the Tamil Nadu government to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, including its controversial three-language formula.

A bench led by Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan ruled that Article 32 of the Constitution does not empower the Court to compel any state to adopt the NEP.

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The Court stated that while it can protect citizens’ fundamental rights under Article 32, it cannot issue directives forcing a state to implement a central policy unless a rights violation occurs.

The petition, filed by GS Mani, sought a mandate for Tamil Nadu to adopt the NEP. However, the Court dismissed the case, remarking that Mani lacked a direct connection to the issue. Although Mani claimed Tamil Nadu origins, he admitted to living in New Delhi. The bench concluded that his personal grievance did not justify legal intervention.

โ€œThe question of whether states should adopt NEP 2020 is complex,โ€ the bench observed. โ€œWe do not find it appropriate to address this matter in the current petition.โ€

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During the hearing, the judges questioned Maniโ€™s standing. โ€œWho are you? How are you affected by the National Education Policy?โ€ they asked. Mani responded that Tamil Naduโ€™s refusal to teach Hindi had made it difficult for him to learn the language. In response, Justice Pardiwala quipped, โ€œThen learn Hindi now in Delhi, na?โ€

The bench left open the possibility of revisiting the broader issue in a more suitable case in the future.

This ruling follows Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalinโ€™s firm stance against implementing the NEP, particularly criticizing the three-language formula as an attempt to impose Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking states.