Assam: District court allows AGP office bearers to continue holding positions in party

GUWAHATI

A district court here on Wednesday stayed the order of a civil judge's court, which had injuncted adoption of all resolutions of the Asom Gana Parishad's (AGP) latest general body meeting, held in defiance of its instructions.

Following the stay order, office bearers of the regional party, a partner in the BJP-led government in Assam, will continue to hold their official positions in the organisation.

AGP president Atul Bora is a minister in the Sarbananda Sonowal cabinet.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Additional District Judge of Kamrup Metropolitan Utpal Rajkhowa stayed the order issued by the Civil Judge (Senior Division) No. 3 Shakti Sharma.

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"The court listened to all sides patiently and delivered an order in our favour. While staying the order of the civil judge, the court fixed November 9 as the next date of hearing," AGP's Advocate Bijon Mahajan told PTI.

The petition was filed by Bora and working president Keshab Mahanta who is also a minister.

On September 5, the Civil Judge (Senior Division) No.

3 had put a stay on all resolutions, including the election of the party president, of the AGP that was adopted at a general body meeting on August 27.

On August 26, the court had directed the AGP not to hold its 'Kendriya Sadharan Parishad' meet on the next day saying that it appears prima facie that the party's constitution and COVID-19 guidelines were violated in convening the meeting.

The case was jointly filed by AGP Guwahati City Committee's president Jiten Deka, working president Hemen Lahkar and secretary Girin Talukdar, who were removed from their posts after they opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act last year.

However, the AGP defied the court's instruction and held the meeting, citing non-receipt of the order. The party re-elected all its incumbent office-bearers including Bora, within 45 minutes.