Himachal HC judge recuses himself from Priyanka land case
Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan has recused himself from the hearing of the matter regarding divulging details of Priyanka Gandhi land deal under Right to Information (RTI) Act.
On Thursday, when the matter was taken up for hearing, an order read, “Subject to the approval of Acting Chief Justice, list before another bench.” Now, the matter will be listed before another bench.
One of the respondents, Debashish Bhattacharya, had moved an application seeking details in the case relating to Priyanka’s land purchase at Chharabra from the Shimla deputy commissioner office, which rejected his plea. Following this, Bhattacharya appealed to the state information commission.
Earlier, on July 7 last year, the Himachal Pradesh HC had stayed the information commission’s order to divulge information regarding the land. Since the commission carried on with the proceeding other than divulging information, Priyanka had moved a contempt petition and on August 7, the court issued contempt notices to the then chief information commissioner Bhim Sen and information commissioner KD Batish. Both had to tender an unconditional apology.
In its order on June 29 (stayed by the HC later), a division bench of Sen and Batish summoned the Shimla deputy commissioner (DC) and the additional magistrate. Batish argued, “Even top political figures like the PM and former prime ministers with SPG protection provide information about their immovable and the movable assets in their election affidavits.”