"PIL Filed To Gain Publicity": Madhya Pradesh High Court Dismisses Congress MLA's Plea Seeking Disaster Management Committee Dissolution

Observing that the petition has been filed only to gain publicity, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday dismissed a plea filed as Public Interest Litigation by Congress MLA Sanjay Shukla and others.

This writ petition had been filed as Public Interest Litigation by 3 persons namely, Sanjay Shukla, Vinay Bakliwal and Fozia Sheikh praying for a direction that the Disaster Management Committee constituted by the State Government be dissolved.

They also sought the constitution of another Committee in accordance with the Rules.

The Division Bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla observed that the petition was bereft of any details or particulars and was filed only to gain publicity.

In the writ petition, the petitioners had contended that the Home Department of the Government of Madhya Pradesh had directed for constitution of ward wise Crises Management Group.

The plea further stated that the responsibility of that had been entrusted to a Nodal Officer who has been required to constitute such group in respect of all 85 wards of Indore City consisting of Regional Public Representatives, Social Workers, representatives of the NGOs', representatives of the Women Self-help Group.

However, the plea alleged that many such persons who are not experienced and some of them having criminal background were included in the Grpup and thus it demanded that the same be dissolved and a new committee be formed.

To this, the Court said:

"No such person, who is lacking in experience or is having criminal background has been named anywhere in the writ petition. The petition appears to have been filed only to gain publicity."

Further, observing that it did not find any bona fide in the writ petition, the Court remarked:

"If the State Government has constituted ward wise group for monitoring the situation of Corona Virus, there is no reason why it will not exclude any person with criminal background from such Committee."

Lastly, noting that it was not for the High Court to interfere in the matter, the writ petition was dismissed

Click Here To Download Order

Read Order