The Kerala High Court disposed off the petition seeking more time to submit disputes and recommendations before the new rules of Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021 are implemented.
The Division Bench of Justices Mohammed Mushtaq and Kauser Edappagath ordered that the petitioner can forward suggestions to Lakshadweep Administrator in two weeks, which shall then be forwarded to Centre.
The Bench heard a public interest litigation filed by Mohammad Sadiq, a native of Kavaratti in Lakshadweep, alleging that he was given only 21 days despite the provision of 30 days to file a dispute.
The Bench asked the Central government: "Is it possible to extend the implementation of Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021 because of the lockdown and pandemic situation?"
The Additional Solicitor General replied that, "It will take time to finalise the draft. Ultimately the file will go to the Central government. Then there will be again deliberation. Thereafter it will go to the President of India. Only after these procedures, it will be notified. If the petitioner is aggrieved, then he can take up an appropriate legal remedy. If the procedure will be extended at this stage, at the cost of one individual, that will affect the entire procedure."
The Lakshadweep Administration informed the court that 593 suggestions, objection, and comments have been received and it has forwarded to the Ministry of Home affairs.
Over the last week, several leaders have called for a new administrator in the Lakshadweep islands, including Lakshadweep MP and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Mohammed Faizal.
Faizal accused Patel of implementing anti-people rules and regulations and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to 'listen to the outcry of the local people and send in a new Administrator'.
Congress had written to President Ram Nath Kovind alleging that the current Administrator of Lakshadweep Praful Patel had taken "authoritarian measures" and demanded his recall.
( With inputs from ANI )
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