Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 19: On the direction of State High Court, Panchayat elections for Halqa Jhajar Kotli and constituency of Panchayat Halqa Jindrah shall remain stayed as the Department of Rural Development failed to ascertain correct name of the said Panchayat Halqa and make appropriate recommendations in this regard to the Chief Electoral Officer.
Directions in this regard were passed by Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur, in a petition filed by one Madan Mohan of Jhajar Kotli through his counsel Advocate Rahil Raja, for purpose of determining as to whether the Panchayat Halqa for which elections were to be held, was to be spelled as `Jandrah’ or `Jindrah’.
The Rural Development Department, vide its notification published on 23-10-2018 in the newspaper Daily Excelsior, had notified the said Panchayat Halqa as `Jandrah’ against `Jindrah’.
In its earlier order, dated 26-10-2018, the High Court, while disposing of an OWP by the petitioner, had directed the Director RDD Jammu to consider the material filed in his office along with the representation and also such other material as would be filed by the petitioner for purpose of determining correct name of the said Panchayat Halqa.
It was also kept open for Director RDD to obtain such other material from his official sources as may be proper to ascertain the correct name of the concerned Panchayat Halqa and make appropriate recommendations to the Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu.
As no decision was taken by the Director RDD, much less any recommendation made by the Chief Electoral Officer, Jammu, instead notification dated 12-11-2018 was issued notifying the elections for the Block Dansal. According to the said notification, the last date for filing nomination papers was 19-11-2018.
Taking notice of no decision by the Director RDD on earlier direction of the court, Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur on last Friday ordered that elections for constituency of Panchayat Halqa Jhajar Kotli and constituency of Panchayat Halqa Jindrah shall remain stayed in case no specific decision is taken by passing a speaking order pursuant to directions passed by the court vide judgement and order dated 26-10-2018 before 19-11-2018.
The court, while giving directions for issuing notice in the main petition as well as Interlocutory Application to the respondents for objections to be filed within two weeks, list the case for hearing on December 4, 2018.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel