HC issues notice to CS, Secys Law, Revenue

Roshni Scheme

JAMMU: The High Court on Monday issued notice to Chief Secretary, Secretary Law and Secretary Revenue to retrieve state lands from occupants and beneficiaries who have been conferred ownership rights under J&K State Land (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act 2001, within four weeks.

The State Administrative Council (SAC) under the chairmanship of Governor, Satya Pal Malik repealed Jammu and Kashmir State Lands (Vesting of Ownership to the Occupants) Act, 2001, (commonly known as Roshni scheme).

The division bench of state High Court comprising Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Sindhu was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Ankur Sharma challenging Section 4 of 'The Jammu and Kashmir State Lands ( Vesting Of Ownership to the Occupants) (Repeal and Savings) Acts, 2018
“Section 4 of The Jammu and Kashmir State Lands (Vesting Of Ownership To The Occupants) (Repeal and Savings ) Acts, 2018, which arbitrarily provides immunity to the beneficiaries of infamous ‘Roshni Act’ which now stands repealed vide Governor's Act No. XXXII OF 2018, Dated 7th December 2018,” the petitioner submitted.

The petitioner also submitted that the repealed legislation was conceived to reward the violators of law who instead of being booked for grabbing the state land were conferred with the ownership rights.