The JK administration under LG Manoj Sinha on Tuesday dissolved the management committee of Ziarat Sharief Hazratbal Khiram in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district and appointed SDM (Sub District Magistrate) Bijbehara as the management committee.
“Deputy Commissioner Anantnag had constituted a committee under the chairmanship of SDM Bijbehara for examining the accounts of the shrine and other recommendations to conduct new elections for the selection of the committee to run the affairs of the shrine,” according to the government order,
The SDM had also recommended a detailed inquiry into the affairs of the shrine, the order reads.
A committee was constituted for the management of affairs of Ziarat Sharief Hazratbal Khiram, and various allegations have been raised over the continuous tenure of the committee constituted by the local residents of the area, as per the order.
“There was a demand for fresh elections to elect a new committee, which will run the affairs of the shrine and SDM Bijbehara submitted a detailed report, recommending therein that the elections must be conducted for nominating fresh committee for a fixed tenure,” the order said.
The development comes after the Waqf Act 2001 has been repealed under the J&K re-organization act i.e. the abrogation of the autonomous status and the Central Waqf Act 1995 has been made applicable to the (now Union territory of J&K) while the committee constituted earlier has now no role to manage the affairs of the (religious board) Augaf.
“In view of the above, the Committee constituted vide Government Order No 118/Rev (Haj and Augaf) of 2015 dated 10.08.2015 is hereby dissolved with immediate effect and SDM Bijbehara shall look after the management of the Ziarat Sharief Hazratbal Khiram including operation of all bank accounts of the shrine till the formal arrangement is made by the J&K Waqf Board.” it added. (KNO)