Queency Jain –
A division bench of Justices K Vinod Chandran and MR Anitha, after declining to stay the operation of the draft, granted a period of 2 weeks to Lakshadweep Administration to respond to a PIL criticizing the Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021(LDAR).
The decision comes after the LDAR and Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA), implemented on the island of Lakshadweep, was challenged by a Congress leader KP Noushad Ali.
While the counsel for petitioner, Advocate Anoop Nair contended to stay the implementation of the regulation, the Court allowed Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj a period of 2 weeks to respond thereby declining the stay on regulation.
The petition challenges PASA & LDAR on grounds of the illegal interference with the social, political, and cultural realities in the Island of Lakshadweep by the Administrator thereby contending the regulation to be violative of Article 15, 16, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India.
The matter is listed for further hearing on 11 June.
