Prayagraj, Nov 13 The Allahabad High Court has asked the Ministry of Defence to take a final decision within four weeks on the removal of a temple which has been declared unauthorised on land belonging to the Cantonment Board, Jhansi.
A bench comprising Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Garima Prashad asked Additional Solicitor General of India S P Singh to obtain a necessary reply in the matter and file a compliance report by the next date of hearing.
The order was passed on a writ petition filed by Gaurav Agarwal seeking removal of the unauthorised temple structure from the Cantonment Board land.
The bench, in its order dated November 4, observed, “Let the Ministry of Defence take a final decision in the matter of removal of religious structure within the next four weeks’ time.”
During the hearing, the court was informed that the principal director, Defence Estates, Southern Command, Pune, had forwarded the petitioner’s letter to the director general, Defence Properties, Ministry of Defence, for necessary approval.
Earlier, on August 21, the high court had recorded the submission of counsel appearing for the respondents that the state officer had passed a final order under Section 5 of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, holding the temple structure on the Cantonment Board premises to be unauthorised and directing its removal.
The court has fixed December 9 as the next date of hearing in the case.
(PTI News)
