HC allows petition challenging conversions

Stay was granted in three separate petitions demanding stay over the conversion. Interestingly,it was senior lawyer and Punjab Advocate General Ashok Aggarwal who had appeared on behalf of the petitioner who had sought stay on the conversion of Municipal Council,Pathankot to Corporation.

Aggarwal,who was not the Advocate General for Punjab at that time,had argued the case and got the conversion dated July 26 stayed. In the said petition,allegations were made against the BJP President and a senior leader for getting the notification issued to circumvent the prospects of a Congress leader from contesting the elections from Pathankot,a Congress dominated Council.

Senior lawyer R S Rai replaced Ashok Aggarwal,on Wednesday,as the counsel for the petitioner in the case. Rai averred that the decision of the Punjab government was unconstitutional.

Two other petitions challenging conversion of Municipal Council of Moga and Phagwara were also argued and admitted. The petitions will now come up for resumed hearing on Nov 28.

In their petition challenging the formation of Phagwara municipal corporation and the state government’s notification,the Phagwara councilors had informed the bench about the decision taken by Punjab without altering the citys outer limits.