In a setback to BJP MP and Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association president Anurag Thakur, the High Court today dismissed the HPCA petition seeking quashing of a notice issued to it by the Registrar of Societies, and asked Thakur to appear before the society on September 30.
The Registrar of Societies, in its notice, had aksed the HPCA to explain why it should not be removed under section 41(1) of the HP Societies Registration Act, 2006 for its alleged violation of the clauses of the legislation.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice A M Khanwilkar and Justice Kuldip Singh directed that since it was only a show cause notice, the petitioners can raise the issue of jurisdiction before the Registrar of Societies.
The bench also directed the petitioners to appear before the Registrar of Societies on September 30 and submit their objections/preliminary objections, which shall be decided by the Registrar of Societies.
The registrar had also restrained the governing body of HPCA from passing any order or resolution, or incurring any expenditure, investment or banking transaction or performing any other act concerning HPCA affairs without his approval.
It had also directed the HPCA governing body to function under the superintendence, direction and control of the authority of the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kangra at Dharamsala.
The state Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had registered a case of cheating and conspiracy under sections 420 and 120-B of IPC against HPCA on August 1, 2013, and investigations are underway.
The HPCA had challenged the show-cause notice in the Himachal Pradesh High Court, saying that Registrar of Societies could not exercise any jurisdiction over it as it was converted to a 'not for profit' company on October 1, 2012.
