Writ petition disposed of in view of officials’ stand
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 26: Administration has informed the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh that funds from Machail Mata account are being spent only for making arrangement of annual yatra, maintenance of temple and other assets of the shrine and not even a single penny has been siphoned off and spent for any other purpose.
The reply has been filed in response to a petition filed on behalf of the Sarv Shakti Sewak Sansthan alleging interference by the respondents in performing Pooja Archana in the premises of Machail Mata Shrine, embezzlement of funds etc.
The administration while countering the allegations submitted before the bench of Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal that respondents are making arrangement for annual yatra strictly in conformity with the directions passed by Division Bench in PIL No. 24/2018 and no one has stopped any devotee from performing puja-archana in the premises of Shri Mata Machail Shrine.
The perusal of the reply reveals that a detailed proposal amounting to Rs 40 lakhs for clearing pending liabilities and further salaries/honorarium pertaining to the staff engaged for the facilitation and assistance of the management of yatra and the staff engaged in the school run by Sanstha was placed before the court through Divisional Commissioner, Jammu for consideration.
As per the stand of the respondents, another proposal of Rs 99 lakh was also submitted before the court for consideration to run the affairs of the yatra smoothly. Pursuant thereto, the court authorized the release of Rs 12 lakh to clear the pending liabilities and deferred the decision on balance amount of Rs 28 lakh (for further salaries/ honorarium of the staff).
Similarly, the court authorized the withdrawal of Rs 99 lakh for making arrangements for yatra during 2019. Out of Rs 12 lakh authorized by the court, an amount of Rs 11.06 lakh has been paid to clear the pending claims of the employees engaged by Sanstha. Similarly, an amount of Rs 8.58 lakh was incurred for the arrangement of yatra 2019 and amount of Rs 25.95 lakh for Yatra 2020 and amount of Rs 0.10 lakh during the Yatra 2021. During 2022, an amount of Rs. 22.50 lakh was utilized to make the arrangement of the yatra.
The respondents specifically pleaded in the reply affidavit that insofar as funds from Machail Mata account are concerned, the same are being spent only for making arrangement of the annual yatra, maintenance of temple and other assets of the shrine and providing the facilities to the pilgrims strictly as approved by the court and authorized by Divisional Commissioner Jammu and not even a single penny has been siphoned off and spent for any other purpose.
The counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners fairly submitted that in the light of the stand taken by the respondents he does not intend to prosecute the petition any further as the grievances which have been projected by the petitioners stand redressed.
“In the light of the statement made by the counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners, the proceedings in the instant writ petition are closed and the writ petition is disposed of having rendered infructuous along with all connected applications”, read the order passed by the High Court.
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