The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Centre, as well as the Law Commission, on a petition seeking law for population control.
The Apex Court tagged the plea, filed by religious saint and General Secretary of Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti, Swami Jitendranand Saraswati, with other petitions seeking similar relief.
The seer contended in his petition that half of the country’s problems were because of the pace with which the population in India was growing. The government was neither able to provide employment to the ever-increasing population, nor was it able to meet their needs of food, shelter and water, he added.
The petition prayed for a strict population control law, so that the basic needs of people were met.
Swami Jitendranand Saraswati, who is also the General Secretary of NGO Ganga Mahasabha, founded by Madan Mohan Malviya in 1905, contended that the Central government was not able to provide food, water and other basic amenities to the people, as the population was growing at a fast rate. This also led to increase in crime, he noted.
The seer said that if the population of the country was less, then the Union government would be able to provide clean environment, food and water, along with employment to all citizens.
He said in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, it has been said that laws related to population control should be brought in the country. It is not against any religion. Due to vote bank, till now any government has avoided bringing population control law. This is the reason why they are compelled to approach the Supreme Court in this matter