Srinagar, 16 July :
The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has directed the UT administration to reconsider a clause in the State Marriage Assistance Scheme (SMAS) that makes Class 8 pass mandatory for poor girls to receive financial aid for marriage.
A Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal, issued the direction while disposing of a PIL filed by Abdul Hamid Rather, who termed the condition arbitrary and unconstitutional.
Rather argued that the clause, set to take effect from April 2025, excludes the most vulnerable especially girls from conflict zones, SC/ST communities and remote areas, who often lack access to education. He stressed that the scheme’s goal is poverty alleviation, not educational reform.
The court asked authorities to consider the representations made and take a decision within two months. Currently, SMAS offers ₹75,000 to eligible girls for marriage expenses.
Notably, Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo also criticized the clause last month, calling it a hurdle for underprivileged girls.
