HC to decide on VMC commissioner’s apology on next Monday

Vadodara Municipal Corporation submitted an unconditional apology to the High Court on Monday after the Municipal Commissioner sent a WhatsApp message asking the court to pass a demolition order on the basis of merit. The court will decide if it wants to accept it or initiate contempt of court proceedings on September 18.

The single bench of Justice RH Shukla asked the Additional Advocate General to impress upon the official that he had acted in haste and had tried to influence court proceedings.

Vadodara’s Pradeep Shah and eight others had challenged the demolition of shops situated just opposite the railway station and in January 2017, the High Court had granted a stay on the demolition and asked th ecivic body to maintain status quo. During the hearing, Municipal Commissioner Vinod Rao had sent a WhatsApp message on August 22 with a request to dispose of the matter on merit. This invited the ire of the court, which asked him to personally appear before the court with an unconditional apology and the text that he sent to the judge.

Rao, through an affidavit, unconditionally apologised on Monday. Appearing on behalf of the VMC, Maulik Nanavati and Additional Advocate General Prakash Jani submitted that there …read more