E-Paper
Victory for Indian professionals in UK court
The high court allows an application seeking judicial review of the changes brought in Britain's immigration rules.
In a major victory for the thousands of professionals of Indian origin affected by changes to Britain's immigration rules, the high court on Friday allowed an application seeking judicial review of the changes.
The professionals, who came to Britain under the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme (HSMP), have been protesting for over a year against the November 2006 changes that altered the criteria for continuing in Britain.
Campaigns were launched and demonstrations held here while MPs from several parties called for the changes to be reviewed. The parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, among other bodies, criticised the changes.
During the Friday oral hearing on a judicial review application filed by HSMP Forum, a campaign group, Justice Sullivan said there was evidence of a breach of legitimate expectation and human rights legislation, and allowed the application.
The full hearing is expected to take place in two months.
In making the decision, the judge took into account the report of the Joint Committee on Human Rights and a large number of successful appeals by HSMP holders at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.
HSMP campaign sources told IANS that the High Court had previously rejected the paper application for "permission" but this was now overturned in the oral hearing.
