SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya has disposed of the case challenging the election of KHADC chief H S Shylla and imposed a fine after PDF MDC Grace Kharpuri withdrew the petition.
During the hearing of the case on Wednesday, the counsel for the petitioner, K Paul, filed and moved an application for withdrawal of the matter and the counsels for all the respondents had no objection.
Before allowing the petition, the single bench headed by Justice SR Sen said earlier also on the similar issue, a writ petition was filed and the same petition was withdrawn.
Earlier on August 17, the first petitioner, MDC James Ban Basaiawmoit withdrew the case.
“Now also, an application has been filed to withdraw the case. I warn the petitioner/applicant that she should understand that the court is not a playground and she should not take advantage of the High Court’s order for personal interest and political mileage,” the judge said.
Expressing anguish and displeasure for waste of time of the court, the judge imposed a cost of Rs 20,000 on Kharpuri.
The court asked the petitioner to deposit the amount with the registry within a week and the same will be deposited with the fund of the Director, Social Welfare Department for the use of the benefit of the juvenile inmates. With this observation and direction, the court said withdrawal of petition is allowed and the case has been dismissed and disposed of.
Shylla was elected as new CEM in July and the same was challenged by Basaiawmoit and Kharpuri citing that proper procedure was not followed in the election of the CEM.
When contacted, one of the counsels for the respondents, senior Advocate VGK Kynta, refused to comment on the matter saying it was the internal matter of the KHADC.
