news details |
|
|
| Directs concerned to file reports | | HC takes serious note of holding political convention at Patnitop | |
Jammu, Nov 16
A Division Bench of J&K High Court Jammu wing comprising Chief Justice BA Khan and Justice JP Singh in a much publicized Public Interest Litigation took serious note of holding political convention at Patnitop on June 21, 2006 which was addressed by Ch Lal Singh MP (congress) and directed Mr. Manoj Panth Director Youth Services and Sports, SSP Udhampur and concerned SHO to file reports within three weeks indicating as to how all this was allowed within the area of their jurisdiction .
DB heard Sr. Advocate DC Raina, Court Counsel with Advocate Vikram
Singh, Additional Advocate Seema Sekher for the respondents, Sr. Advocate AV Gupta
and Sonia Gupta Advocate with Mr. KK Gupta Chief Executive Officer Patnitop
Development Authority and also perused the report filed by the Chief Secretary and also
the objections of CEO of PDA, in compliance to the directions issued by the Division
Bench on October 3, 2006. The Chief Secretary’s report indicates that a committee had been constituted to look into the incident of a political party holding convention at Patnitop. The committee had found that Choudhary Lal Singh, MP, addressed the convention when no formal permission had been sought from the District Administration to hold a convention at the Tourist spot. Objections of the Chief Executive Officers suggested that he wants to wash-off his hands in maintaining order and serenity at Patnitop, saying that he does not possess any powers to regulate order and serenity of the spot.. The stand of the CEO particularly, in view of the District Administration’s permitting holding of such type of events at the tourist spot, raises questions of importance, which needs clarification by the State Government. Upon this, the Division Bench directed State Government through its Chief Secretary that has any authority been constituted by the State Government to maintain order and serenity of Patnitop, a tourist spot of importance in the state and whether it is part of the duty of the CEO to enforce regulatory measures, needed to maintain order and serenity of the area or whether the duties of CEO are limited only to the construction and development activities within the area of his jurisdiction? DB raised further question whether Patnitop Tourist is a protected Tourist spot and is this spot open for its use for holding public meetings/ conventions of political parties/groups or other organizations, which may erode the character, and nature of the tourist spot? DB further asked at to what action had been taken by the District Administration or by any other competent authority or was proposed to be taken against those responsible for holding political convention at Patnitop on June 21, 2006.
The Division Bench further observed that it comes out from the report of the committee and also from the documents placed on record that Manoj Panth Director Youth Services and Sports had directed warden of the Youth Hostel to open lock of youth hostel to permit the party workers to use it, who had pitched tents and used the place for cooking food for the convention. Buses and matadors were also reported to have been allowed to be parked at the Patnitop tourist spot and issued directions to the officers named above and also directed that the status-report shall be filed by all concerned authorities before the next date of hearing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
