Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party leader Waheed Para’s virtual oath has been stayed by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court. It has instead suggested that the administration can seek permission and administer oath physically.
Parra who was arrested on 25 November 2020, a day after he filed his nomination for the DDC elections won his berth. He was bailed out and later re-arrested. Now he is facing formal charges for funnelling funds to insurgents through a Dy SP, who is also in detention.
The NIA court in Jammu had initially allowed oath through videoconference. On 28 December 2020, the court had ordered Superintendent District Jail Ambphalla, Jammu to make arrangements. This order, however, was stayed on 22 January, 2021.
According to a report by a local magazine, the stay order issued by the court of Justice Rajesh Oswal has clarified that the administration can, if it wishes so, administer oath to Parra physically after taking permission from the concerned court. The stay was issued after additional Advocate General, Aseem Sahni, argued that oath cannot be administered on virtual mode to any elected representative.
The next date of hearing in the case is on 17 February, 2021.
Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti termed Para’s arrest as politically motivated, “J&K admin has gone to great lengths to prevent PDPs @parawahid from taking oath as DDC member. Fact remains that his arrest is politically motivated as even after getting bail from NIA court he was immediately booked by CIK on vague charges.@dcpulwama.” The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said in a tweet.