Three days left, ex-Ministers, MLA’s yet to vacate official accommodation
TNN Bureau. Updated: 12/18/2018 12:03:47 PM
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SRINAGAR: With only three days left to vacate the government accommodations after the dissolution of assembly, 78 out of 87 former lawmakers are yet to surrender their official residence, still occupying official flats and Bunglows.
According to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Jammu and Kashmir Estates Department, the politicians including ex-minister and ex-legislators are bound to vacate the accommodations presently under their occupation one month after the dissolution of the assembly which was affected late night on November 21.
According to official figures, out of 24 cabinet ministers only three ministers have vacated their accommodation till date. The three ministers include PDP’s Imran Raza Ansari, Abdul Gani Kohli and BJP’s Bali Bhagat.
Similarly, only six former MLA’s have vacated their official flats either in Srinagar or in Jammu. The legislators include Abdul Majid Bhat Larmi , Murtaza Khan, Devender Singh Rana, Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar, Peerzada Mansoor and Usman Majid.
Apart from lawmakers, five “political persons” have also left their accommodation. The five political persons include Anup Khajuria, Nazir Ahmad Mir, Sanaullah Dar, Peer Mohammad Hussain and Shaheena Begum.
Sources said most these “political persons” are either the relatives of the former ministers and lawmakers.
An official in the estate department said after December 21, the department would issue eviction notice to all politicians who are still holding to their official residence.
“As per the rule books, there are still three days left for all lawmakers to vacate their flats or Bunglows. So, let us see how many of them will voluntarily give up the positions, before the department takes action” an official said.
Earlier, the former PDP-BJP ministers had been granted relaxation by the then Governor to continue in their official accommodations till the assembly was in suspended animation.
However on 21 November Governor Satya Pal Malik abruptly dissolved the assembly after PDP along with the support of National Conference (NC) and Congress followed by BJP alley Sajad Lone's Peoples Conference (PC) staked claim of the government.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti was the first politician in the government to vacate the Chief Minister’s house in Jammu after the fall of the government in June this year.
In 2014 election, BJP won 25 seats, PDP emerged as the single largest party with 28 MLAs. The National Conference and Congress won 15 and 12 seats each. Five seats were won by Independents, one by CPM and one by People’s Democratic Front (PDF) in the 87-member Legislative Assembly.