HC tells Sukhbir, Majithia to appear on next date
Tuesday, 30/04/2019
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/hc-tells-sukhbir-majithia-to-appear-on-next-date/765797.html
Chandigarh : Less than three months after Justice Ranjit Singh accused former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and MLA Bikram Singh Majithia of bringing to disrepute the sacrilege commission headed by him, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed them to appear before the Bench on the next date of hearing – July 11.
The order by Justice Amit Rawal was pronounced after marathon hearing lasting for almost four hours till about 6 pm. It came even as the counsel for Badal and Majithia made attempts to convince the court that it had the power to grant exemption from personal appearance to the two respondents on the first date of hearing itself – a submission opposed vehemently by Justice Ranjit Singh’s counsel.
Justice Rawal also granted exemption from personal appearance to the two for today’s hearing on their application. The question before the Bench was whether the High Court could grant exemption on the first date without appearance before the Bench even once.
At the very onset, Justice Rawal asserted exemption could not be sought without appearance. “The court ordered appearance in person. He has to come and seek bail,” Justice Rawal asserted in the open court.
