Ramgarh to be made new district tomorrow as HC clears decks

Ranchi, Sep 11 (UNI) Legal hurdles standing in the way of Ramgarh being elevated to a new district in Jharkhand were cleared with the High Court dismissing a public interest litigation opposing the government move.

Ramgarh, now in Hazaribagh and Khunti in Ranchi, are scheduled to be upgtraded as districts tomomrrow.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Muthuswamy Karpagyavinayagam and Justice Amreshwar Sahay passed the order after hearing the PIL, filed by Hazaribagh Bar Association.

Suhail Anwar appearing on behalf of the petitioner contended that Ramgarh was just a sub-division and it did not fulfil the criteria of district.

If Ramgarh was carved up, nothing would be left for Hazaribagh, he contended.

'' Hazaribagh has been divided many times as districts of Koderma, Giridih were parts of Hazaribagh, '' Mr Anwar said adding it was being done due to political compulsion.

Advocate General S B Gadodia informed the court that the state government had already completed all the formalities for upgrading Ramgarh as a new district.

Earlier, Jharkhand High court had also given permission under Cr Pc 7(2) in this regard.

'' It is mandate of public and how the lawyers' association can oppose it, '' he said.

The Cabinet had taken decision in 2005 that Ramgarh would be a district but there were some legal problems.

The Delimitation Commission had issued letter in 2002 that there would be no new district without the permission of the Commission.

The Commission on August 7, 2007 gave letter to the state government regarding formation of Ramgarh as a district from sub-division.

UNI