Observing that after demitting the office they are on a par with the common citizens, the High Court Thursday directed J&K government to take all steps for ensuring eviction of unauthorized occupants including former Ministers, Legislators, Retired Officers and Politicians from government accommodations.
While closing a Public Interest litigation on its own motion, a division bench of Justice Ali Muhammad Magrey and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul directed J&K’s Chief secretary and Secretary Estates Department to take all possible steps for ensuring eviction of the illegal occupants from Ministerial Bungalows and Special Houses in keeping with the law provided by the Supreme Court in its judgments.
The Court directed the two authorities to ensure recovery of rent or arrears of rent from the occupants for the period for which they were in authorized or unauthorized occupation of the accommodation as land revenue.
Notably, the J&K government had informed the court that 74 persons including former ministers, legislators, retired officers, politicians and political persons are still occupying the Ministerial Bungalows/ Special Houses (A-type, B-type and C-type quarters) in Srinagar and Jammu beyond the period of their allotment.