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Farmhouse weddings court trouble for Delhi officials

Hindustan Times | ByHarish V Nair, New Delhi
May 27, 2009 12:19 AM IST

The Delhi High Court issued notices to MCD commissioner, Delhi Development Authority vice-chairman and the Delhi Police commissioner for not implementing the court guidelines on farmhouses weddings, reports Harish V Nair.

Those big fat Indian weddings held in farmhouses have landed some top Delhi officials in trouble with the court.

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The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi commissioner, Delhi Development Authority vice-chairman and the Delhi Police commissioner for not implementing the court guidelines on farmhouses weddings.

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The court was hearing a petition filed by Bhrashtachar Virodhi Sangathan, an NGO, seeking initiation of contempt of court proceedings against the officials “for doing nothing” to implement the guidelines issued by the court in October 2007.

“We expected that the court's guidelines would tackle the chief concerns like massive traffic jams caused by vehicles parked on narrow roads outside the venue and nuisance to the people in the area due to use of loudspeakers and generators,” said Manjit Singh Ahluwalia, the NGO’s lawyer. “But with the authorities continuing to turn a blind eye, the rules remained merely on paper.”

He brought to the court's attention brazen “disobedience and defiance” of the guidelines by farmhouses in Narela, Najafgarh zone and GT-Karnal Road.

Ahluwalia told the court that the refusal of the civic agency, the development authority and police to enforce the rules clearly amounted to contempt of court.

Justice Manmohan has sought their replies by September 22.

A division bench of the court headed by Chief Justice A.P. Shah is already looking into complaints that 29 farmhouses dotting the Chattarpur-Mandi Road in South Delhi are violating the rules formulated by the court.

A primary norm set by the court is a 60-feet-wide approach road and sufficient parking space inside. Among other things, it bans parking outside farmhouses, use of loudspeakers and bands after 10 pm and processions and horse-drawn carriages outside the venue and fixes a ceiling on bookings.

The court also asked the civic agencies to charge an amount of Rs 20,000 per event from the farmhouses of five acres and above and Rs 10,000 per event from those below five acres, but not less than 2.05 acre.

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