NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the AAP government how it can allow MLA Amanatullah Khan to be appointed as chairperson of the waqf board when a special audit has been initiated to look into allegations of irregularities against him.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad posed the query to the Delhi government during the hearing of a plea seeking quashing of a notification which called for a meeting of the elected waqf board members on Monday evening to elect one of them, including Amanatullah, as the chairperson.
“Issue is whether a person facing allegations of irregularities be allowed to be made chairperson of the board when the Delhi government has ordered a special audit regarding allegations against him... Why should he be allowed to be part of the system when there are serious allegations against him,” the bench said.
The observations by the bench came while hearing a PIL seeking quashing of the notification on the ground that if the MLA is elected as chairperson the special audit report would be placed before him.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) 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.
The bench then asked whether Khan intends to contest for the post of chairperson. Advocate K C Mittal, appearing for Khan, told the bench that if his name is nominated by any member, then he will contest.
In view of the submission, the court said the issues raised in the petition need to be considered and it was not possible on Monday due to paucity of time. The bench listed the matter for hearing on November 9 after ASG Jain said the meeting of the board to elect a chairperson would be deferred till November 19.
With PTI inputs