Withholding powers of Doda Municipality;SAC directs regular enquiry against Ex-Minister

By admin On Apr 26, 2016

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Justice J.P. Singh (Retd) Member J&K State Accountability Commission (Jammu Wing) in a significant order on Monday directed the holding of a regular enquiry against Ex-Minister/MLA Doda Abdul Majid Wani in the complaint filed by Dr. Rehmatullah Khora.
The Commission directed the Ex-Minister to remain present in person before the Full Bench of the Commission on April, 27, 2016 for the commencement of the regular enquiry.
After hearing Advocate Ch. Ghulam Murtaza, appearing for complainant and Senior Advocate K.S Johal appearing for ex-Minister Abdul Majid Wani, the Bench of the Commission headed by Justice J.P. Singh (Retd) Monday converted preliminary enquiry into the regular enquiry for probing the allegations leveled against the Ex-Minister Abdul Majid Wani.
In the complaint it has been alleged that the Ex-Minister, in league with Executive Officer and Administrator Municipal Committee Doda, approved many works in violation of various centrally sponsored schemes just to take political mileage. It has also been alleged in the complaint that the then Minister/MLA Doda usurped the powers of the Municipal Committee Doda as the said works were beyond his competence and contrary to the scope of J&K Municipal Act. Advocate Ch. Ghulam Murtaza, during the course of arguments, highlighted that the Ex-Minister managed an application from few citizens of Doda addressed to the then Deputy Chief Minister which he had endorsed to then Deputy Chief Minister with wordings “Strongly Recommended” on June, 20, 2009 when the President Municipal Committee Doda was very much functional meaning thereby the said Minister completely high jacked the powers of the President Municipal Committee Doda. He further submitted that Ex-Minister’s brazen abuse/misuse of position and powers is also evident from a communication which has been issued by Subash Gupta the then District Superintending Engineer PWD (R&B) Circle Doda to the then Executive Engineer PWD (R&B) Division Doda under subject “List of persons for engagement on need basis” under his No.DSED/R&B/4997 dated August, 19, 2013.
Advocate Ch. Ghulam Murtaza further submitted that Ex-Minister had approved some works under centrally sponsored schemes during the years 2010-11 and 2011-12 when the Municipal Committee Doda was dissolved for which only the Administrator as appointed by the Government had the powers to execute such works.
After hearing both the sides at length Justice J.P. Singh (Retd) Member J&K State Accountability Commission (Jammu Wing) directed the holding of a regular enquiry against Ex-Minister/MLA Doda Abdul Majid Wani in the complaint filed by Dr.Rehmatullah Khora. The Commission directed the Ex-Minister to remain present in person before the Full Bench of the Commission on April, 27, 2016 for the commencement of the regular enquiry.
Looking into the importance of the matter and urgency involved, Justice J.P. Singh (Retd) directed the Deputy Registrar to list this complaint on April, 27, 2016 for further proceedings before the Full Bench of the Commission.