The Rajasthan High Court has constituted a five-member court commission to conduct a study and submit a report on measures to eradicate the social evils of ‘nata’ and the practice of issuing fatwas to excommunicate individuals held “guilty” by khaps.
A single bench of Justice Farjand Ali has taken the initiative against the ongoing practice of issuing fatwas by the caste-driven justice delivery system.
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This court commission is supposed to tour extensively in the rural areas of the western Rajasthan districts—Jalore, Barmer, Jaisalmer, Nagaur, and Pali—where such social evils are still practised.
The commission members will interact with people, social activists, and local police officials and study the local life, rituals, and customs, and submit a report to the court with recommendations for curbing these social evils and the practice of settling issues and disputes through ‘farmaan’-based “justice delivery by khaps, in violation of citizens’ freedom and provisions of the Constitution.
Four prominent lawyers—Ramavtar Singh Chaudhary, Bhagirath Roy Bishnoi, Shobha Prabhakar, and Devki Nandan Vyas—and social worker Mahavir Kankariya have been inducted into the commission.
