The Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by a local activist challenging the Lakshadweep Administration’s reform measures including the move to introduce Lakshadweep Development Authority Regulation 2021 which envisages development of towns on inhabited islands and the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA).
A bench consisting of judges S V Bhatti and Murali Purushothaman ruled that the so called LDAR 2021 was a mere draft of the administrative reform proposal and not a final order.
Discontentment was brewing in the archipelago in the Arabian Sea for the last two weeks over the move by the administrator of the Union Territory to bring in reforms in the islands and make the atolls as developed as Maldives. The public interest litigation challenging the move by the administrator was a reflection of the public ire towards the reforms.
The judges observed that the observation of the legality of the draft regulation which was under the active consideration of the administration was completely premature. Because of the draft administrative reforms which were opposed by the inhabitants of the islands, the BJP unit is getting isolated. Every day hundreds of party workers are leaving the Hindutwa brigade for good though there are hardly 150 party activists in the islands.
Earlier in the day, Aisha Sultana, a struggling film artist, who had accused the Centre of using bio weapon against the Lakshadweep population , was granted interim anticipatory bail by a single judge bench of the Kerala High Court. Judge Ashok Menon while disposing of a petition filed by the artist asked her to appear before the Kavaratti Police for interrogation on June 20 in connection with a notice served on her under Section 41A of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
However, in the event of her arrest, she should be released on bail, the court ordered.
In case an arrest is recorded after her interrogation, she is entitled to demand the presence of her counsel as per Section 41D Cr PC, the Court added.