Gauhati HC dismisses petition challenging stay order against directive blocking AGP resolutions

The Gauhati High Court hasdismissed a petition challenging a stay order against a lowercourt directive blocking all resolutions of Asom GanaParishad's latest general body meeting, held in defiance ofinstructions from a civil judge.

In a recent judgment, Justice Kalyan Rai Suranadismissed the petition, stating that the issues raised''appears to be only academic''.

The revision plea was jointly filed by AGP's GuwahatiCity Committee president Jiten Deka, working president HemenLahkar and secretary Girin Talukdar, who were removed fromtheir posts after they had opposed the Citizenship (Amendment)Act in 2019.

The petition was filed against AGP president AtulBora, working president Keshab Mahanta and senior leader PhaniBhushan Choudhury all ministers in the BJP-led stategovernment.

It also included five other senior leaders asrespondents in the case.

When contacted, Talukdar said the high court hasdismissed only the review petition and the original case willcontinue in the lower court.

On October 7 last year, the Additional District Judgeof Kamrup Metropolitan Utpal Rajkhowa had stayed the orderissued by the Civil Judge (Senior Division) Shakti Sharma.

Sharma had on September 5 stayed all resolutions,including election of party president, of AGP that wereadopted at a general body meeting on August 27.

On August 26, the lower court had ordered the AGP notto hold its 'Kendriya Sadharan Parishad' meet on the next day,citing violation of the party's constitution and COVID-19guidelines, and asked to maintain ''status quo'' till the nextdate, which was fixed as November 19.

However, the AGP went ahead with the public gathering,claiming non-receipt of the order and elected all itsincumbent office bearers as the new leaders, including Bora asthe unopposed party chief, within just 45 minutes.