HC asks Centre to look into Sri Lankan Tamil’s representation from a humanitarian angle

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has asked the Central government to look into the representation made by a Sri Lankan Tamil residing in Sri Lankan rehabilitation camp in Virudhunagar from a humanitarian angle.

Justice G.R. Swaminathan was hearing a petition filed by Kamaleswaran. The petitioner was a Tamilian born in Sri Lanka. He is of Indian origin. The petitioner said his grandparents were born in India and they were Indian nationals. They migrated to Sri Lanka during the British period for livelihood.

The petitioner’s grandfather is said to have applied for Indian citizenship in 1969. On account of the ethnic strife in Sri Lanka, the petitioner and his family migrated to India in 1990. They have been residing in the rehabilitation camp in Virudhunagar ever since. The petitioner had made a representation to the authorities concerned seeking the details regarding the status of his grandfather.

The court said if the information sought by the petitioner is made available to him, it would certainly facilitate his application for citizenship. The court called upon the authorities to look into the petitioner’s representation from a humanitarian angle and do the needful.

The authorities may have to call for old records. This in the very nature of things would take sometime. Therefore, he consciously refrain from imposing any outer time limit, the judge said and disposed of the petition.