M A I N   N E W S

Stay on Calcutta’s functioning vacated
Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 30
The Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission today vacated the ex-parte interim order against Mr Manjit Singh Calcutta who was restrained from functioning as chief secretary of the SGPC. Mr Calcutta would resume his work from tomorrow after a gap of one month.

The SGJC dismissed the application, filed by Mr Ranjit Singh of Bhalla village under order 39 (rule one and two) for granting temporary injunction against Mr Calcutta while the hearing for the main case has been fixed for October 22.

The orders were passed by the three-member commission comprising Mr Manmohan Singh Brar (president), Mr Ajwant Singh Mann and Mr Amrik Singh Randhawa (both members).

In his petition, Mr Ranjit Singh, a former district president of the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal had challenged the appointment of Mr Calcutta as chief secretary by allegedly ignoring legal proportions. While appointing Mr Calcutta as chief secretary, the SGPC executive committee had stated that the service rules of the SGPC won’t apply to him as he won’t claim TA/DA. He was also given age relaxation at the time of his appointment keeping in view the significant centenaries.

Welcoming the order of the SGJC, Mr Calcutta alleged that Mr Ranjit Singh had filed the petition at the behest of the ‘government agencies’. To substantiate his allegations, Mr Calcutta said that the petitioner was provided security immediately after filing the petition. He further alleged Mr Ranjit Singh was also confidant of a senior functionary of the SGPC who could not ‘digest’ his appointment as chief secretary. However, Mr Ranjit Singh dubbed the allegations of Mr Calcutta as baseless and announced that he would move the Punjab and Haryana High Court.