The Delhi High Court on Monday questioned the city government as to how AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan can be allowed to be appointed as chairperson of the Waqf Board when he was facing allegations of irregularities.
A Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Subramonium Prasad posed the query while hearing a plea seeking challenging a notification that called for a meeting of the elected Waqf Board members on Monday to elect one of them, including Mr Amanatullah, as the chairperson.
“Why should he [Mr. Amanatullah] be allowed to be part of the system when there are serious allegations against him,” the Bench asked.
Audit report
The High Court was hearing a petition by Mohd Iqbal Khan seeking quashing of the notification on the ground that if the AAP MLA is elected as chairperson, the report of a special audit initiated to look into allegations of irregularities against him would be placed before him.
Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, appearing for the Delhi government, said the Board has nothing to do with the special audit and its findings would go directly to the government.
Advocate K.C. Mittal, appearing for Mr. Khan, said that if his name is nominated by any of the board members, he can contest for the post. The court has listed the case for further hearing on November 9 after the ASG said the board meeting to elect a chairperson would be deferred till November 19.
The petitioner, who claims to be a social worker, said the notification calling for a meeting of the board members on October 19 was issued on October 7 and therefore, he did not have the time to move a representation to the authority concerned. He has alleged in his petition that there are also several criminal cases against the AAP MLA.
