Nainital HC issues notice to state govt.

Nainital High Court on Thursday issued notice to the State Government in writ filed by gram pradhans of Babugarh and Rasulpur Panchayats of Vikasnagar, in Dehradun district.

The State Government will submit its reply in the case by February 16.

The writ was written challenging the final notification of State Government dated on Novemmber 20, 2017, whereby two villages have been included in the Nagar Palika Parishad Vikasnagar.

The ground challenge was that the Notification is against the provisions of Article 243-Q (2) of the Constitution (Constitution of Municipalities).

"Residents of both the villages are agriculturist. The State Government did not consider the objection submitted by the petitioner," stated the petition.

"The Nagar Palika vide resolution dated 12.05.2017 has proposed to include 5 villages, but the State Govt. has included only 2 villages," the plea further stated.

The notification also curtailed the Central as well as the State schemes meant for rural development.

The matter was listed before Justice Manoj Tiwari and after hearing both the parties the Court has directed that any "steps pursuant to final notification dated 20/11/2017 shall be subject to the final outcome of the writ petition."

The state high court while fixing the matter on February 16, directed the State Government to file reply.