NEW DELHI, March 7 � The Supreme Court today expressed its displeasure against the Assam Government for not furnishing details about the number of schools occupied by the security forces and threatened that non-compliance of its orders would compel it to summon the Chief Secretary.
The Supreme Court also directed the Jharkhand and Tripura governments to ensure that all schools and hostels of educational institutions are free from the occupation of security forces within two months.
A Bench comprising Justices BS Sudershan Reddy and SS Nijjar refused to give longer breathing period to the State governments for implementing its direction.
The bench, which had asked the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) to hold meetings with seven north-eastern States on various aspects of development, made it party to the petition.
The Tripura Government had said only 16 schools out of 4000 are under the occupation of the Central forces and due to insurgency reason it would take another six months for its removal.
The court during the earlier hearings had expressed its displeasure that the government did not respond to its order on the �serious� issue of ensuring that all schools and hostels of educational institutions should be kept away from the occupation of security forces.
The apex court by its September 1 and November 15 last and January 10 orders this year had asked the Centre to �clearly state as to how many of the educational institutions in the country are under the occupation of security forces/paramilitary forces�.
�You cannot allow the schools and colleges under the occupation of the security forces,� a Bench comprising Justices B Sudershan Reddy and SS Nijjar said and asked the Defence, Home and Human Resource Development Ministries to respond.
The apex court had asked Manipur and Assam to file an affidavit in response to the suggestions given by NCPCR.
The court had passed the directions during the hearing of the petition relating to the exploitation and trafficking of children who were recovered from an illegal orphange in Tamil Nadu last year.
Majority of the children were from north-eastern States, who were lured to Tamil Nadu on the pretext of being given better education. � PTI
