SRINAGAR: Two former Ministers, an ex-member of Parliament, and a former Mayor of Jammu Municipal Corporation have been ousted from Government accommodations by the Estates Department.
Despite not being entitled to the lodgings according to the rules, they had been retaining them.
Ajay Bharti, Deputy Director Estates Department Jammu, disclosed this in the latest compliance report submitted to the High Court in connection with the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) No17/2020 filed through Senior Additional Advocate General S S Nanda.
The High Court, in an order dated November 15, 2023, had issued various directions and noted, “Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed, counsel for the petitioner, submits that the report submitted by Senior AAG pertains to 35 persons only, whereas the actual occupants of the Government accommodations are 48. Thus, in respect of 13 persons, the details are missing. The Senior AAG may furnish additional information about the remaining persons, and thereafter the matter be listed on December 15, 2023.”
The Deputy Director Estates Department Jammu Tuesday stated that, out of the remaining 13 persons, Shamsher Singh Manhas, former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Chander Mohan Gupta, former Mayor Jammu Municipal Corporation, Bali Bhagat, former Cabinet Minister, and Abdul Rahim Rather, former Cabinet Minister, have been evicted from the Government accommodation provided by the Estates Department.
“The Quarter No RC-3 Pratap Park (order issued in the name of Muzaffar Hussain Shah) has been allotted as office accommodation in favour of Awami National Conference, and Quarter No. J-53 (issued in the name of Vikram Randhawa) has been allotted as office accommodation in favour of BJP,” the compliance report said, adding, “the remaining 8 persons (ex-Legislators/political persons) were also issued similar notices seeking details/information as to whether they possess any alternate residential accommodation at Jammu or Srinagar.”
According to the compliance report, no response has been received from Yasir Reshi, former MLC, Sofi Yousaf, former MLC, Mohammad Amin Bhat, former MLA, and Bashir Ahmed Dar, former MLA. On the other side, political figures Reyaz Ahmed Mir and Sonaullah Lone, former Minister Sunil Sharma, former MP Fayaz Ahmad Mir, and former MLAs Mohammad Amin Bhat and Bashir Ahmed Dar have mentioned in their response that they don’t possess any house in Jammu or Srinagar.
