If no legal restrictions, Parra can take oath as DDC member, says court
Srinagar, March 4
The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has directed the Pulwama deputy commissioner to administer the oath of office as DDC member to terror-accused PDP youth leader Waheed ur Rehman Parra, provided there are no legal restrictions envisaged under the Panchayati Raj Act.
Parra could not take oath after being elected as a district development council (DDC) member in December, 2020, following his arrest in two terror-related cases. He is presently out on bail in both the cases and has moved the High Court for taking oath.
“This court deems it appropriate to observe that in case there is no legal restriction/prohibition envisaged under the Panchayati Raj Act, 1989, read with Panchayati Raj Rules, 1996, in administering the oath of office to the petitioner by the Pulwama DC, then the Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, shall not default in carrying out the statutory duty of administering the oath of office to the petitioner notwithstanding the pendency of the present writ petition,” Justice Rahul Bharti said in his order.
Parra was arrested in a criminal case on January 17, 2021, for alleged commission of offence under various sections of the UAPA, the Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act. Accordingly, he could not volunteer himself for the purpose of calling upon the deputy commissioner, Pulwama, for the purpose of his oath taking as an elected Pulwama DDC member.
Parra was granted bail by the special NIA court on January 9, 2022, but was not released and was booked in another case registered at the police station, Counter-Intelligence Kashmir, Srinagar under various sections of the UAPA and the IPC. However, he again secured his bail in terms of an appeal before the division bench of the High Court and the bail was granted to him on May 25, 2022.
