Early Times Report
JAMMU, Apr 1: In a contempt petition filed by Satinder Singh for initiating contempt proceedings against the respondents for not implementing the judgment of this Court 31-12-2021, whereby J&K High Court initiated the process of conducting elections to the Gurdwara Prabandhak Committees of Gurdwaras of the Union Territory, in accordance with the provisions of the Act of 1973 expeditiously. Justice M A Chowdhary directed the respondents to finalize the nomination within a period of two weeks and submit the compliance report failing which respondent Principal Secretary, Revenue shall appear in person. This significant order has been passed after hearing petitioner 2 Joginder Singh who produced a communication vide No. DMJ/LO/21 -22/5699-5701 dated 15-03-2022 of Additional Deputy Commissioner (Law & Order) Jammu addressed to Divisional Commissioner, Jammu for nomination of District Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee Jammu out of the short listed 21 persons and stated that the Divisional Commissioner is sitting over the matter and not finalizing the same. In the contempt petition, petitioner submitted that a perusal of the aforementioned observations in the judgment above mentioned, passed by this court makes it apparent that the respondents were bound to nominate fresh members of committees from amongst the persons of high integrity and social standing, in terms of Rule 63-C of the above rules, by issuing a notification in this regard, so that the day to day affairs of the Gurdwaras in different districts of UT of J&K, falling under the jurisdiction of the concerned District Gurdwara Prabandhak Committees, are run smoothly. This notification of nominating fresh members was to be issued within a period of three weeks. The respondents were also directed to initiate the process of holding the elections expeditiously in terms of the aforementioned judgment passed by this court. That despite the fact that the aforementioned judgment was served on the respondents through speed post delivered on 6-1-2022, copy whereof is annexed as Annexure II, and the period of three weeks as was fixed in the judgment within which the respondents had to issue the notification for nominating the fresh members of the Committees, having elapsed, nothing has been done by the respondents, as a result, the day to day religious affairs of different Gurdwaras under the District Gurdwara Prabandhak Committees in the Union Territory of J&K are suffering a lot, and the erstwhile members, who have already been held to be continuing to hold the affairs of different Gurdwaras unauthorized, in terms of the aforementioned judgment, are still continuing as such as no notification in this regard has been issued by the respondents too. It is further submitted that the respondents have till today not taken any steps for initiating the process of holding the elections for the District Gurdwara Prabandhak Committees of Union Territory of Jammu and & Kashmir, regarding which they were directed to initiate the said process expeditiously, which makes it clear that the respondents have wilfully disobeyed the directions so issued by this Court in terms of the judgment above, as such, are liable to be initiated contempt proceedings. |
