Simranjit Singh Mann moves court against J-K admin's order denying him entry

Kathua/Jammu, October 20

Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann has moved a Jammu and Kashmir court to challenge the adminstration’s order denying him entry into the Union territory, his lawyer said on Thursday.

Mann has been sitting on a protest in Lakhanpur for three consecutive nights against the administration’s decision. Thursday is the fourth day of the protest.

The MP from Sangrur in Punjab was stopped on orders of Kathua District Magistrate Rahul Pandey on Monday evening, leading to the protest by the politician and his supporters.

In his order issued under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), Pandey said it had been brought to his notice by the senior superintendent of police that Mann was scheduled to enter Jammu and Kashmir and his visit was likely to cause “disturbance in public tranquility”.

Mann filed a petition in the court of the chief judicial magistrate of Kathua through advocate T N Gupta, challenging the district magistrate’s order denying him entry into Jammu and Kashmir.

Gupta said Mann has challenged the order on grounds that he was granted approval for his visit to the Union territory a few days ago.

“As per the protocol of his visit fixed by the additional deputy commissioner (Kathua), he left for J&K on October 17 (from Punjab). But when he reached here, the district magistrate of Kathua gave him this order (of denying entry into J&K). So he is challenging it,” Gupta said.

He said the matter will be taken up on Thursday.

Gupta said Mann has also demanded the restoration of his basic rights as a senior citizen as well as an elected MP.