Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) whether it was willing to keep in abeyance its decision to change the reservation of Neville D’Souza Football Ground at Bandra Reclamation, observing that the issue involved the “majesty of the court”.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad was hearing a petition filed by the Mumbai Football Association (MFA) challenging the proposed change of reservation of the football ground from a playground to an exhibition/convention centre.
The court’s intervention came a day after the BMC General Body approved the proposal, despite an assurance given before the court on August 10 that no decision would be taken until the next hearing.
Advocate Zal Andhyarjuna, appearing for the MFA, told the court that the statement made in open court was clear and had not been disputed or modified. He submitted that the BMC’s action showed that the situation had been “altered” despite the court’s earlier directions.
The court questioned BMC’s counsel, senior advocate Girish Godbole, about the assurance. “We have an issue of the majesty of law being at stake. If the elected people or authorities are going to jeer at the courts, then that is something very bad,” the bench said.
“So, we are now going to suo motu contempt. Unless you turn back the clock to 10th August,” the court warned. .
Godbole said that he will speak to the municipal commissioner.
The court suggested that the BMC could at least keep the decision in abeyance. Godbole said the Commissioner could not simply keep the General Body resolution in abeyance but could place a proposal before the General Body seeking to keep its resolution in abeyance.
The court will hear the matter again at 12.30 pm today.
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