Verdict on TCC vs TCC passed

26 September 2008

The verdict on the long-drawn-out case between Thimphu City Corporation and Tashi Commercial Corporation was passed in favour of the latter on August 8.

The verdict of the High Court is in sync with the verdict of the Thimphu district court and High Court Bench III which stated that the city corporation was unable to produce clear-cut evidences and necessary documents to prove its ownership of the 72,176 square feet of taxi parking area near Lungtenzampa fuelling station.

The city corporation appealed to the High Court against the verdict of the district court passed on October 30, 2007, and that of the Bench III passed on July 5, 2008.

The verdict has flown in the face of Thimphu City Corporation’s structure plan. The Nu 2.5 million-project to improve the parking lot and surrounding area has to be kept on hold until the city corporation comes up with an alternative.

The Legal Officer of the city corporation, Ugyen Dorji, said, “Since the case was appealed to the High Court, the Office of Attorney General represented the city corporation.

Now that the verdict has been passed, we will have to figure out the possibilities or probably have to plan something.” Tashi Commercial Corporation filed the case when Thimphu City Corporation announced the temporary shift of Lungtenzampa taxi parking to the parking lot near Chubachu milk booth in October last year. The city corporation wanted to facelift and blacktop the area and make entry and exit points so that taxis can operate systematically without hindering the traffic flow.

While the city corporation claimed that the taxi parking lot located near the Lungtenzampa fueling station belonged to the government, Tashi Commercial Corporation claimed it to be theirs. Thimphu City Corporation has reappealed the case to His Majesty’s Secretariat since it had until 10 days to reappeal from the date of the verdict.

By Eshori Gurung

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