The Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a plea by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights against proposed mahapanchayat in Uttarkashi by right-wing groups on June 15. This came soon after the vacation Bench of the Supreme Court refused to entertain the same urgent petition and had asked the petitioners to move the High Court.
A Division Bench of the Nainital High Court comprising Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Rakesh Thapliyal will hear the matter on Thursday, June 15, which is also the day when the mahapanchayat was initially called by ‘Devbhoomi Raksha Abhiyan’.
Counsel for the petitioners Sharukh Alam told the court that certain organisations had called for the mahapanchayat and have given an ultimatum to people of a particular community to leave the area before the same. She said there was urgency in the matter and the Supreme Court also granted the petitioner the liberty to approach the High Court.
