High Court summons Collector, Municipal Commissioner

Ujjain : A double bench of Indore bench of MP High Court on Friday asked the Ujjain Collector and Municipal Commissioner to remain present before it on September 15 in wake of non-compliance of its directives issued earlier in view of preparations for the Simhastha Fair-2016.

Hearing a writ petition (WP- 11019/2013), filed by Manthan Parmarthik Sanstha president Bakir Ali Rangwala, the double bench comprising justice SK Seth and PK Jaiswal expressed deep annoyance over delay in replies by the said two authorities. According to the petitioner, the High Court by order dated July 16, 2014, granted three week’s time to file para-wise reply on the issues raised through the petition. It was also made clear that if reply is not filed within the time allowed then the Ujjain Collector and Municipal Commissioner shall remain present before the court on the next date of hearing. Rangwala further informed that the said two authorities filed para-wise reply only on Thursday. On it the court observed, “Thus, prima facie there appears to be a non-compliance of order dated 16.7.2014 on the part of the Collector, Ujjain and Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Ujjain. Both these officers shall remain present before the court on 15.09.2014.” According to Rangwala, he had moved two writ petitions (WP-10831/2013 and 11019/2013) along with several interlocutory applications before the High Court. Issues related to river Kshipra, availability of basic infrastructure to the pilgrims and sadhu-sant, construction of roads, over-bridges, removal of encroachments and illegal structures, road widening, etc, were primarily raised through these petitions. Highhandedness on part of State and Union government and concerned was also brought before the attention of the High Court.