Srinagar, Oct 19, KDC: Observing that the authority of the Amar Singh Club’s erstwhile managing committee requires legal examination following the expiry of its prescribed tenure, a local court in Srinagar has temporarily restrained the management from enrolling any fresh members into the institution.
The interim protective order was passed on Monday by the Court of the 2nd Additional District Judge, Srinagar, presided over by Judge Naushad Ahmad Khan. The judicial intervention came in response to a civil suit seeking a declaration and permanent prohibitory injunction against the club’s former management.
Four permanent life members of the club—Zafar ul Islam, Er. Abdul Majid Mattu, Er. Farooq Ahmad Wani, and Er. Javed Shabbir—approached the court through their counsel, Advocate Babar Bilal.
The plaintiffs contended that the two-year electoral mandate of the club’s managing committee had officially expired on January 12, 2026. They argued that in the absence of a lawful extension or specific authority conferred by the club’s governing constitution, the former committee cannot continue to exercise administrative and executive powers, particularly the induction of new members.
After considering the preliminary submissions, the court noted that the legal authority of the committee to undertake fresh admissions requires examination with reference to the club’s constitution and the rival contentions of both parties.
Recognizing a prima facie case for limited protective relief, the court observed, “If fresh membership admissions are permitted to proceed in the meantime, the resultant changes in the membership structure may have a bearing upon the controversy requiring adjudication in the suit”.
To preserve the subject matter of the dispute, the court dispensed with the standard statutory requirement of issuing prior notice to the defendants before granting an injunction.
The judge reasoned that prior notice at this stage could defeat the immediate object of the application concerning the preservation of the existing membership position. Consequently, the court directed that “defendant No. 2 [the Former-Managing Committee] and all persons acting through or under its authority, are temporarily restrained from enrolling or admitting any fresh members” to the club.
The court, however, clarified that its preliminary observations are strictly tentative and should not be construed as a final determination of the erstwhile committee’s legal status, powers, or authority. Formal notices have been issued to the club’s management for their appearance and objections, and the matter has been listed for its next hearing on November 6, 2026. (KDC)
