Govt withdraws SRO over freezing of Kargil CEC’s powers

JAMMU: In a major embarrassment, the state government had to withdraw its SRO (Sadr-i-Riyasat Ordinance) with regard to freezing of powers of the chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, while the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has kept its decision reserved on the conduct of the elections to the post of the new chairman of the council.

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 29

In a major embarrassment, the state government had to withdraw its SRO (Sadr-i-Riyasat Ordinance) with regard to freezing of powers of the chairman of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, while the Jammu and Kashmir High Court has kept its decision reserved on the conduct of the elections to the post of the new chairman of the council.

According to official sources, the state government, which was directed to file a detailed response in the J&K High Court on July 27 following a petition filed by the incumbent chairman of the LAHDC, Kargil, Mohammad Haneefa Jan, who is also the Chief Executive Councillor (CEC), informed the court that it had withdrawn the SRO-228, issued on July 5.

The court, however, has kept its decision reserved on the conduct of the elections to the post of the new chairman of the council, which had been challenged by the incumbent CEC.

“The state government has withdrawn its notification for issuance of SRO-228 but the High Court is yet to give its verdict on the case,” said Hassan Khan, Deputy Commissioner, Kargil.

The High Court had on July 16 stayed the decision of the state government to conduct the election of the new chairman of the Kargil Council scheduled for July 18. It was contested in the court that the impugned order issued on July 8, directing to conduct the elections on July 18, was in contravention of Section 27(2) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council Act, 1997.

The LAHDC, Kargil, which governs the district politically, had plunged into a political crisis on June 20 after the Independent councillor from the Yurbaltak constituency of Kargil, Kacho Ahmed Ali Khan, withdrew his support from the National Conference-backed Kargil Council, headed by Haneefa Jan.

There has been a political tussle between the ruling National Conference and the opposition Congress in the council as both parties were tied at 15 each in the council having a strength of 30 (26 elected and four nominated members).

The decision of the Independent councillor to withdraw his support to the Haneefa Jan-headed council had reduced its strength to 15. The Congress has 11 councillors and at present claims the support of four Independents. The LAHDCCEC enjoys the powers of a Cabinet minister while his executive councillors have the powers of the deputy minister.