Govt Directs 29 Ex-Legislators to Vacate Bungalows Following Election Process

||Black and White Digital News ||

|| September 25, 2024||

Jammu: In a crucial hearing on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL No. 17/2020), filed to evict former ministers and legislators from government accommodations, the Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court’s Division Bench, led by Chief Justice (Acting) Tashi Rabstan and Justice Puneet Gupta, was informed about the government’s actions regarding this matter.

AAG Amit Gupta, representing the Union Territory of J&K, updated the court that the government has instructed 29 former ministers, ex-legislators, and political figures to vacate their government bungalows immediately after the conclusion of the ongoing election process. Notably, only two political figures—former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and BJP State President Ravinder Raina—were exempted from these orders, as per the recommendations of a Designated Committee.

The PIL, originally filed in August 2020, by Advocate Supriya Chouhan, sought the immediate eviction of these officials, arguing that they had no legal right to occupy ministerial residences following the dissolution of the erstwhile J&K State Assembly. Advocate Chouhan emphasized that despite clear directives from the Supreme Court, the UT administration had allowed the overstaying, allegedly flouting judicial orders.

During the hearing, AAG Gupta disclosed the list of 29 ex-legislators, including notable figures like Zahid Hussain Jan, Abdul Majid Paddar, Nizam-ud-Din Bhat, Abdul Gani Vakil, M.Y. Tarigami, Kavinder Gupta, and Sat Sharma, who have been directed to vacate their accommodations after the election. The report also highlighted the government’s decision to allow Azad and Raina continued use of government residences based on security concerns and other recommendations.

Advocate Chouhan further argued that the UT government should charge commercial rent from these overstaying individuals and that their eviction should be enforced promptly, particularly since a new government is likely to be formed soon.

After hearing the submissions, the Division Bench directed the government to submit a compliance report to the petitioner and scheduled the next hearing for October 30, 2024.

This case continues to raise significant questions about the accountability of public officials and the enforcement of legal orders regarding government property.