High court refuses to stay construction

The Delhi High Court today declined to grant a stay on the construction of a memorial at Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib complex here for those killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, even as the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) told the court that legal action will be taken if they go ahead with the project in violation of the statute.

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday declined to grant a stay on the construction of a memorial at Gurdwara Rakabganj Sahib complex here for those killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, even as the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) told the court that legal action will be taken if they go ahead with the project in violation of the statute.

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The court, however, issued notice to the Delhi government, NDMC, DDA, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) and its president Manjit Singh GK and sought their replies by July 17 on former DSGMC president Paramjit Singh Sarna’s plea to stop the construction as they had not got approval from the competent authority.

Justice Jayant Nath recorded the submissions of NDMC counsel Vivek Sood that “action had been initiated. On June 6, a show-cause notice was issued to the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and its president in which the legal consequences were also mentioned...It will take action as per law in 2/3 days.”

Committee counsel Sudhir Nandrajog told the court that the memorial was in the proposal stage and the structure would adhere to bylaws.

Refusing to give any undertaking, the senior lawyer said it can be a memorial garden or a fountain and at this stage the NDMC should not interfere.

The court was hearing Sarna’s plea seeking a stop on the construction of the memorial.