E/CN.4/2000/65
page 27
India (E/CN.4/1999/58, para. 62)
105. India’s reply reads as follows: “(a) Reply to first allegation: while certain political
parties and groups might have stalled legislation relating to reservation of seats for women in
Parliament, it would be incorrect to state that these political parties and groups represent a
particular religion; (b) Reply to second allegation: Inquiries made in the matter revealed that
Ms. Zeenat Naaz was elected mayor of Deoband, Uttar Pradesh in October 1995. On
30 March 1996 in a meeting of the Board, all the members expressed dissatisfaction with the
manner of functioning of the mayor. There was a conflict between the mayor and the members
and on 19 January 1998 all the members passed a vote of ‘no confidence’ against the mayor.
Ms. Zeenat also filed a writ in the State High Court against the decision. The High Court (vide
its order dated 27 February 1998) disallowed the writ petition filed by Ms. Zeenat and ordered
counting of the votes polled in the ‘no confidence’ motion. On 6 March 1998 the vote of no
confidence was passed and an order to this effect was pasted on the house of Ms. Zeenat. As per
regulation, after three days the deputy mayor of Deoband took up the charge as mayor of
Deoband. Ms. Zeenat filed a special appeal in the Supreme Court against this decision. Earlier a
writ filed by Ms. Zeenat in the High Court against the vote of confidence was disallowed by the
High Court. The Honourable Supreme Court has not yet taken any notice of the special appeal
filed by Ms. Zeenat.”
106. The Special Rapporteur has still not received replies to the communications sent in
connection with the report to the fifty-fifth session of the Commission on Human Rights from
the following States: Albania, Angola, Cyprus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,
Georgia, Ghana, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Mali, Mauritania, Pakistan, Republic of Moldova,
Russian Federation, Spain, Sudan (communication relating to the disappearance of a convert),
Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Yemen. The Special Rapporteur would like to receive the replies of
these States as soon as possible in order to avoid having to draw attention to the lack of replies
every time.
II. FOLLOW-UP TO INITIATIVES OF THE COMMISSION ON
HUMAN RIGHTS CONCERNING THE WORLD CONFERENCE
AGAINST RACISM AND THE RESOLUTION ON DEFAMATION,
AND THOSE OF THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR CONCERNING
STUDIES, LEGISLATION AND THE CULTURE OF TOLERANCE
A. Initiatives of the Commission
1. World Conference Against Racism
107. In its resolution 1999/78 entitled “Racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related
intolerance” the Commission on Human Rights requests the High Commissioner for Human
Rights to invite the Special Rapporteur on religious intolerance to participate actively in the
preparatory process and in the World Conference by initiating studies on action to combat
incitement to hatred and religious intolerance. In resolution 1999/39 entitled “Implementation of
the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on
Religion or Belief”, the Special Rapporteur is invited to contribute effectively to the preparatory
process for the World Conference and to forward to the High Commissioner his