HC brings cheer to wannabe grooms with empty pockets

The Haryana government has been directed to reconsider the issue afresh,clarify and “introduce any change in the policy,if it would like to”.

 The directions came in wake of a public interest litigation filed by Sonu Verma,a resident of Karnal working at Industrial Training Institute Karnal. Verma,who had applied for a loan of Rs 90,000 for his marriage,was denied by the government. He then moved the high court demanding quashing of the rules.

The Justice said: “I am conscious that it is a policy formulated by the state and it is within the domain of the state Government to frame policy as per its wisdom. I am also conscious that to seek an advance may not be a right. It is an assistance which the state as a welfare measure is providing. Attempt is not to find if the policy is unwise but to refer it to the framers to consider if this is a case of an inadvertent slip. The instructions have not clearly excluded loan for self marriage.”

The Court also ruled: “This exclusion of loan for self marriage is apparently not on the basis of any well considered decision. It may be a case of the issue having escaped attention while formulating the policy instructions. Loan is for an employee. It is available to him when he is to marry his dependent but not when he needs it for his own. There seems to be no purpose for denying loan for self marriage,when it is available to the same person for marriage of his dependents.”