SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has stayed the NIA designated court order for the virtual oath taking of detained PDP leader Waheed Parra. It has instead suggested that the administration cane seek permission and administer oath physically.
Parra who was arrested on November 25, 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. He is only one person who was elected to the DDC in Pulwama but has not been given oath of office. This issue had gone to the court.
The NIA court in Jammu had initially allowed oath through videoconference. On December 28, 2020, the court had ordered Superintendent District Jail Ambphalla, Jammu to make arrangements. This order, however, was stayed on January 22, 2021.
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 February 17, 2021.
