Jharkhand high court stays RMC order to seal banquet halls

RANCHI: The Jharkhand high court on Tuesday stayed the order of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) to seal the premises of a few banquet halls in the city.
While hearing a petition filed by banquet hall owners, the bench of Justice Rajesh Shankar directed the civic body to file a counter affidavit in the matter and not seal the premises of the petitioners.
Notably, the banquet halls -- Manya Palace, Gitanjali, Paahi, Ashirvad and Chandragarh Bhawan -- were served notices by the RMC on June 24, informing their respective owners that their campuses will be sealed. The owners rushed to the high court challenging the order, saying it was violative of the principles of natural justice.
Advocate Nilesh Agarwal arguing on behalf of the owners informed the court that the RMC asked all banquet halls to register individually with the civic body. Online applications were submitted in the RMC portal by the owners in January this year, Agarwal said.
Thereafter, the RMC sought certain queries pertaining to the building plans of the halls along with other criteria for running them. The queries were duly furnished. However, without any prior information, the RMC issued a letter on June 24 informing that the halls, including those of the petitioners, will be sealed.
Agarwal argued that the order of the RMC is arbitrary in nature and the banquet hall owners have not been given ab opportunity to explain their stand in the matter. The high court after hearing the matter in an online proceeding forbid the civic body to proceed against the petitioners and file a counter affidavit in the matter.