Sajid Raina
Srinagar, Aug 03 : The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has asked government to consider allowing the Shia community to take out religion possession from Guru Bazar to Dalgate in Srinagar city.
The Division Bench comprising of chief justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Wasim Sadiq Nargal while hearing a public filed asked the commissioner secretary, home and other competent authority to consider the representation of petitioner most expeditiously within a period of three days as the month of Moharram has already started.
The petitioner Aga Syed Mujtaba Abass through his advocate Bilal Akbar lone has sought the directions upon the state authorities to allow Shia community to take out the regions possession especially on 08 August from Guru Bazar to Dalgate and sought necessary security for the same as well.
The court observed that taking out the religious procession especially in Kashmir depends upon the law-and-order situation. “This court is unable to assess the law-and-order situation as well as the involvement of the security of the nation in taking out such religious procession,” it observed.
“It is in-fact the domain of the administration/security agencies and other stake holders to take a call on it and to form an opinion depending upon the law-and-order situation, religious harmony and security of the nation,” the court said.
The bench asked the government to consider the representation of petitioner after taking inputs of the Commissioner Secretary or any other competent authority after taking inputs to the maintenance of religious harmony and the law-and- order situation from all security agencies of the nation consider the above representation as directed.
“In view of the aforesaid facts and circumstances, we dispose of this writ petition with a direction to the Commissioner Secretary, Home or any other competent authority to consider the above representation of the petitioner most expeditiously preferably within a period of three days as the month of Muharram has started,” it said—(KNO)
