HC seeks report on govt houses within 4 weeks

JAMMU: In a significant order, a Division Bench of J&K High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Sanjay Dhar directed the J&K administration to file a status report within a period of four weeks in a petition highlighting illegal occupation of Ministerial Bunglows and A-Type Kothis by former Ministers and legislators in Jammu and Srinagar.
The bench issued notices to the Secretary, Hospitality & Protocol; Estates Department and Civil Aviation; Director Estates, J&K and Deputy Director Estates, Jammu which were accepted by AAG Aseem Sawhney.
The Division Bench further directed the Registry to re-notify the instant PIL on October 7, 2020.
The counsel for petitioner, at the outset, argued that despite the fall of BJP-PDP government in June 2018, the former ministers and legislators did not vacate the Ministerial Bungalows and A-Type Kothis both at Jammu as well as at Srinagar and their illegal occupation continues till date and the Estates Department miserably failed to get the official accommodations vacated.
“The Estates Department failed to discharge its duties solely for the reason that the illegal occupants belong to a party which is in power in the Centre,” the counsel said.
Amicus Curie Monika Kohli was also present at the time of hearing through Video Conferencing. JNF