Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 12: Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Hasnain Massodi today recommended administrative action against the Executive Officer, Katra Municipality.
The direction was passed by the DB after going through a fresh CMA in a PIL filed by SOS International through its chairman Rajiv Chuni and others regarding collection of taxes from the pilgrims visiting Shri Mata Vaishnodevi shrine.
Through the CMA, the petitioner sought appropriate disciplinary action against Executive Officer Municipal Committee Katra Ravi Kumar against whom two FIRs have culminated into presentation of charge-sheets in the court of Special Judge Anticorruption Jammu.
After hearing Advocate Abhinav Sharma appearing for the PIL, AAG Seema Shekhar for the State, Senior Advocate DC Raina with Advocate Rohit Kohli for SMVDSB and Advocate Adarsh Sharma for the Katra Municipality, DB observed, “we would expect administrative action, if warranted, in the facts and circumstances disclosed in the CMA”.
The Division Bench issued notice in fresh CMA, which was accepted by counsel for the respondents with the direction to them that reply be filed before the next date of hearing. The DB also granted last opportunity to the State to file reply in the main PIL before next date of hearing.
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