HC seeks info about Estate’s properties under ‘illegal’ occupation of former ministers, legislators, bureaucrats…
Asks govt to disclose policy on eviction of these occupants from govt accommodation
Srinagar: The J&K High Court Wednesday directed the government to file details of properties and official accommodations under illegal occupation of former ministers, legislators and bureaucrats in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
B A Dar, senior additional advocate general, accepted the notice on behalf of the respondents including the Estates Department.
“The respondents shall file before this court the details of properties/official accommodations which are under illegal occupation of the erstwhile allottees including ex-ministers/ex-legislators/bureaucrats in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir,” directed the court.
It further directed the respondent authorities to “take steps for eviction of the illegal occupants” in compliance with the judgment of the Supreme Court of India.
The compliance report has to be filed within 10 days according to the court directions.
The court also asked the authorities to serve the copy of today’s order to the Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of the Jammu & Kashmir, as also the Secretary, Estates Department.
It asked the Chief Secretary and Secretary Estates Department to file the action taken reports within the aforesaid period.
The court had earlier asked the government to disclose its policy on eviction of former lawmakers and retired officers from the government accommodation.
The government was also required to disclose recovery of outstanding amount from the authorized and unauthorized occupants.
The advocate general ensured that an updated compliance report, in tune with the directions of the court, will be filed.
The court then directed filing of an updated compliance report “disclosing the policy of the government qua retention or otherwise of the Ministerial bungalows as well as A, B and C-type accommodation of the Estates department by the former ministers/former MLAs/retired IAS officers/MLCs/political persons, both at Jammu as well as in Srinagar.”
Rashid Paul is Associate Editor at Kashmir Images.
He can be reached at [email protected]
