Srinagar, Mar 28: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh on Tuesday stayed the executive committee meeting of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation scheduled on March 29.

A single bench of Justice Sindhu Sharma on Tuesday stayed a meeting notice issued by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation on March 24 for holding a meeting of its executive committee on March 29.

“In the meanwhile, subject to objections and till next hearing before the Bench, the meeting notice dated 24 March, 2023 is stayed,” Justice Sindhu Sharma said in the order.

The court also directed to issue notice to respondents’ returnable within four weeks.

“Notice in the main petition as also in CM, returnable within four weeks,” the court said. The court has listed the matter on May 17, 2023.

The petitioners have challenged the meeting on the ground that tenure of the Committee has come to an end.

The contention of counsel for the petitioners is that the meeting could not have been called as the tenure of the members of the committee has ended in terms of Rule 52 of Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation (Procedure and Conduct of Business) Regulations 2021.

As per meeting notice issued by the SMC on March 23, the agenda of the meeting was to discuss and finalise works programme for 2023-24, clearing of liabilities of IEC partners etc.

The meeting was to be chaired by SMC mayor.

Later the SMC canceled its ‘Executive Committee’ meeting scheduled for the day.

“The Executive Committee Meeting which was scheduled to be held on 29-03-2023 at 2:00 P.M has been cancelled,” reads the cancellation notice issued by SMC.

Five incumbent councilors of SMC which include; Mukhtar Ahmad Dar, Zubair Fayaz, Umaan Maqbool Shera, Ashiq Hussain Bhat and Naima Sara had moved the petition challenging SMC’s ‘Executive Council ‘meeting before High Court on the ground that ‘tenure of the Committee has come to an end’.

Deliberating over the issue, a single bench of Justice Sindhu Sharma on Tuesday stayed the meeting notice – issued by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation on March 24 for holding a meeting of its ‘executive committee’ on March 29.

The court also issued a notice to respondents’ to seek its objections, if any, within a four weeks period.